US News

IT’S MUCH A-DOO FOR DOG OWNERS

Some dog owners are happy that the fine for failing to pick up after pooches has soared – but they really “doo” dislike the city’s plan for a nickel surcharge on plastic bags.

The fine for not cleaning up after Rover rose to $250 last month – more than double the $100 it’s been ever since the pooper-scooper law went into effect 30 years ago.

“It’s great, unless you forget your bags,” said Joel Cleveland, who was with his dogs at Carl Schurz Park on the Upper East Side yesterday. “It’s a deterrent and should make everyone healthier.”

He wasn’t so happy with the mayor’s plan to deal with a tanking economy by slapping a nickel surcharge on plastic bags – a possible burden for those who save the bags to clean up dog poop.

The nickel tax is “ridiculous” said Cleveland, suggesting that maybe “they should give them to dog people for free.”

Megan Fung, who was walking her Chihuahua along East 95th Street, said the increase in the fine “probably won’t help, because I’ve never seen a ticket given – and never heard of anyone getting one. Rather than increase the fine, they should give tickets more often.”

That’s not easy. You have to be caught in the act of pooh-poohing the law.

There were 763 summonses written for failing to remove canine waste during the past fiscal year.