16  THE NEW BARKER 
www.TheNewBarker.com
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Using this same phraseology, we’ve been reminding dog owners 
of this since 2009, when we did a weekly radio show called 
Animal Tales. It was produced by the late Cory Cooper, founder 
of No More Homeless Pets Tampa, and hosted by her husband, 
the late Michael Cooper. At the end of every show, Michael 
would say, “And remember to scoop the poop!”  
     It’s a topic few people know directly affects the environ-
ment. Maybe they’ve heard they should pick up after their dogs, 
but they don’t want to for various reasons. To raise awareness, 
Debris Free Oceans hosted a Pup Carnival at Tropical Park in 
partnership with Miami-Dade County. The event featured a Pup 
Strut runway, pet vendors and a dog adoption van.  
     “Dog poop has a lot of nutrients, similar to fertilizer,” said 
Caiti Waks, co-founder of Debris Free Oceans. “If there’s already 
algae in the water, those nutrients can make it bloom and con-
tributes to fish kills.” 
     Andrew Otazo, who emceed the Pup Strut, helped Debris 
Free Oceans plan the event. Growing up, his dad would tell him 
that if a dog poops in the grass, it was fertilizer. He has since 
learned that there are not enough microbes in the turf to actu-
ally break down the waste before it becomes a threat to water-
ways.  
     “What a lot of people don’t know is that the drainage sys-
tems in the street connect to the Bay, and they don’t filter — so 
even if you live pretty far inland, it’ll end up in the drain and 
then the ocean,” said Amelia Myers, a University of Miami 
student intern and volunteer with Debris Free Ocean.  
     It’s also against the law to leave your dogs poop behind. 
Leaving it behind is considered illegal dumping or littering. 
There is no single statewide law in Florida, but many cities and 
counties have ordinances in place. For instance, in Miami-Dade 
County, fines vary by municipality, but generally range from $50 
to $165 for a first offense, with potential for higher fines of up 
to $500 for multiple or severe offenses. These laws are in place 
to prevent illnesses and diseases, and to protect the environment.
A Debris Free Oceans team member dresses up as a blow-up pile of 
poop to remind people to pick up after their dogs. Photo by Ashley 
Miznazi, Miami Herald.
Scoop the Poop, Please
In April, Colorado became the ninth state to ban pet stores and 
third party brokers from selling commercially bred puppies and 
kittens when Governor Jared Polis signed into law HB26-1011, 
also known as the Pistol the Pomeranian Protection Act. Pistol 
was a Pomeranian who survived a puppy mill after enduring 
unimaginable trauma and illness. He became the beloved dog of 
Colorado House Majority Leader Monica Duran, who has been 
championing this bill over an eight-year period. The official ban 
takes effect on January 1, 2028. It will impact seven retail stores 
selling puppy mill sourced puppies. The other eight states with 
retail pet sale bans are California, Maryland, Maine, Illinois, 
Washington, New York, Oregon, and Vermont.
Nobody Said It’d Be Easy 
Organizations like Humane World for Animals Puppy Mill division 
tackles puppy mills one-by-one. They research, investigate, legislate, liti-
gate, educate, and report on the commercial breeding industry known as 
puppy mills. Recently, dozens of Great Danes were rescued by the 
Humane World for Animals Animal Rescue Team from a breeder oper-
ation in Missouri. Five dogs were found dead, 83 were still alive. 
Devin Harris, the owner of the operation, was arrested and charged 
with animal neglect or abandonment in connection with the case.  
Politics & Advocacy Take Persistance & Patience
State Representative Monica Duran (D) Colorado and her dog Pistol.
U

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