Summarize:

Most cities have animal control offices to deal with complaints about animals. In some cities, animal shelters handle these complaints. To find the appropriate office, you can look for “animal control” in your phone book.  You can also search the Internet. Type “animal waste complaint” and “your city.” The appropriate office should show in your search results. Once you find the appropriate office, write down the phone number that you call. Before calling, pull together the relevant information to give to animal control. For example, you should have the following:  a description of the animal the animal’s address the time of the incident any other relevant details Some cities give you the ability to make an anonymous report. You might want to report anonymously if you are afraid of the animal owner or if you otherwise don’t want to get involved in any dispute. However, if you report anonymously, then animal control might not do anything. In order to properly punish the animal owner, animal control may have to request a hearing where evidence is presented against the dog owner. Animal control might not be able to bring this hearing if you are not willing to testify. Some cities have online forms you can complete in order to make an animal waste complaint. For example, you can file an online complaint in New York City. After you complain, animal control should reach out to the animal’s owner. An inspector may even stop to meet with the animal owner. You should offer to help animal control in any way that you can. For example, you should share with the inspector any documentation you have of the waste. After being contacted by animal control, the owner may still refuse to pick up after their animal. In this situation, you need to make a second complaint to animal control. In some cities, such as Fort Worth, you will have to fill out an affidavit. The affidavit should include:  the name of the animal’s owner (or a description if you don’t know the name) the animal owner’s address a description of the animals the date and time of the incident any other details the names and contact information for other witnesses your signature before a notary public
Find the appropriate office. Gather relevant information. Decide if you want to report anonymously. Report online, instead. Meet with an animal control inspector. Make a second complaint.