Peekapoo poop creating a stink at county courthouse

Jasper — Dubois County Commissioners are considering exploring an ordinance to create a poop-free area around the county courthouse.

Janalyn Oster, a Huntingburg resident, is employed at the Birk and Birk law firm on the Square in Jasper and brings her 8-month-old Peekapoo puppy Snickers to work. Thomas Birk, the owner, says that he supports his employees bringing pets to work because of studies that have shown the practice relieves stress and improves employee performance. “We had a cat for a while, but we found that it caused some allergies,” he explained, “but we enjoy having Snickers in the office.”

Naturally, where there’s puppies, there’s poop, and the only green space nearby is the courthouse lawn. So, about twice a week Snickers does a little doodoo in the green grass on the southeast corner of the courthouse property and Oster promptly cleans it up.

The groundskeeper of the courthouse has yet to complain of finding any Peekapoo poop on the lawn but some folks have complained about seeing the dog doing it’s duty there. Last month the commissioners were informed of the second letter the county has received regarding the practice and decided to send Oster a letter asking her to stop.

Oster and the suspect puppy appeared in front of the commissioners today with her mother, Janice Burger, her two sons, Blake and Dylan, and nearly the entire office staff of Birk’s law firm. Oster told the commissioners that she was the only one to receive a letter concerning the practice although she regularly cleans up other dog’s feces on the lawn before allowing her own puppy to romp around on the grass.

“If I was leaving a mess, don’t you think the groundskeeper would be complaining to you,” Oster told the commissioners.

Besides the county lawn, there is no green space for pets to use around the square. Currently the county does not have an ordinance against the practice and Oster complies with the City of Jasper ordinance which requires that pet owners clean up after their pets.

Birk, who was in attendance, told the commissioners that at one time it was lawful for horses to take care of business around the courthouse. He even joked that County Attorney and Historian Art Nordhoff, may remember the practice occurring.

Commissioner Larry Vollmer stated since no ordinance existed, maybe the commissioners should explore banning pets from the lawn and interior of the courthouse. “Someone just complained that it doesn’t look good having a dog doing that on the lawn in the public,” he said.

“I think some people have too much time on their hands to worry about something like that,” mused Oster’s mom, Janice.