This story was published Wednesday, September 3rd, 2003
By Cara Fitzpatrick Herald staff writer - The Tri-City Herald

Laurie Ness has the scoop. Her business is picking up, and she really knows her ... doodoo.

Ness, aka Dr. Doo, recently opened a business called Dr. Doo Dog Waste Pick Up -- doing pooper scooper patrol in Tri-City yards.

Several days a week, the Richland woman can be found shovel in hand wandering through yards on doodie-duty.

And while the service still is fairly new in the Mid-Columbia, it is somewhat of a national trend.

Throughout the United States, dog owners with busy lifestyles or a distaste for dirty work are hiring people like Ness to clean up their pooches' poo.

"It's about making your life easier," she said.

Ness currently has six clients, including working couples and stay-at-home mothers with small children. For $8 a week and $4 for each additional dog, Ness will come by and clean an entire yard in about a half hour.

Judith and Gary Whitehead hired Ness because they like a nice lawn, but
their busy lifestyle makes it difficult to keep up with their dog, Pebbles. And, "We don't want to pick it up," she said laughing.

The Kennewick couple also appreciate that Ness uses surgical gloves and sprays all of her tools with a disinfectant that can prevent the spread of diseases such as roundworm.

"You need to pick up waste on a regular basis because it is a host for parasites, and dangerous to have with kids around," Ness said.

Ness got the idea for Dr. Doo after reading about a similar business. The thought of being her own boss was appealing, she said, and her background in wildlife biology seemed like a perfect fit for the job.

It also was an easy business to start, with fairly minimal costs and paperwork, which might explain why similar services have sprung up around the country.

Nationwide, there are about 82 pet clean-up companies registered with the Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists. Most of the businesses are started by individuals looking for easy, part-time work.

The profession does have its hazards, though.

"Yes, I have stepped in it before," Ness said, smiling.

Besides the most obvious worry -- stepping without looking -- Ness also is wary of hostile dogs. All of her customers fill out a survey before she begins, which includes questions about the dog's temperment. Many of the animals stay inside while she cleans.

But despite some of the unpleasant aspects, Ness likes the work.

"When you're out there doing a crummy job, people cheer for you," she said.