Before the 1970s, urban sidewalks were notoriously treacherous due to uncollected dog waste. Frustrated by the mess and public health concerns, Nutley, New Jersey, passed the first pooper-scooper law in 1971. However, the movement truly went mainstream in 1978 when New York City and San Francisco implemented landmark legislation requiring owners to clean up after their pets.

Before mandatory pick-up laws, cities tried other impractical measures, such as New York’s short-lived “Curb Your Dog” campaign, which mandated that dogs relieve themselves in the street’s gutter so sanitation workers could flush the waste away. When mandatory pick-up legislation was first proposed in the 1970s, it sparked fierce indignation. Many pet owners felt the laws were hostile toward dogs and embarrassing to follow. Early on, inventors rushed to patent elaborate “scooper” devices and mechanical contraptions, but people quickly realized plain newspaper or standard plastic bags were more practical.

After years of cultural and political battles, the state legislation—championed by State Sen. Franz Leichter, Assemblyman Edward Lehner, and newly elected Mayor Ed Koch—took effect in August 1978. It became a prototype for similar legislation worldwide. Recognizing the success of New York’s mandate, San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk sponsored a similar law in 1978. Milk’s ordinance famously required that dog owners not only clean up the feces but also carry a “suitable container” for proper disposal.

What was once fiercely debated is now widely accepted as a basic civic duty and environmental responsibility.