Short answer
Ask any pooper scooper service ten things before you hire: whether they disinfect tools and boots between yards, how they secure your gate, where the waste goes, how often they come, whether there's a contract, what the full price is, what happens if they miss a spot, how weather is handled, how they'll keep you posted, and whether they handle commercial properties.
Key takeaways
- Disinfecting tools and boots between yards matters, because canine parvovirus can persist for many months outdoors when sheltered from sun and drying, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual.
- A good service tells you exactly where the waste goes: bagged into a trash can or hauled away, never a storm drain or ditch.
- Look for month-to-month terms, a full price before you pay, and a set way to get a missed spot fixed.
- Ask how gates, weather and communication work before the first visit, not after.
- Red flags include no written price, a fee to cancel, and vague answers about sanitizing or disposal.
From the curb, one pooper scooper service looks a lot like another: a bucket, a scooper, a quick lap of the yard. The differences hide in the details, like what happens between the last yard and yours, and what happens when you want to cancel. These ten questions bring those details out fast. Our own answer follows each one, so you can hold us to it too.
What should you ask before hiring a pooper scooper service?
Ask any dog waste removal company about safety, money and follow-through, and get the answers in writing. Here's what a solid answer includes:
| # | Question | A solid answer includes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Do you disinfect tools and boots between yards? | Both, between every yard |
| 2 | How do you make sure my gate is closed? | Latched every visit, with proof |
| 3 | Where does the waste go? | Bagged into a trash can, or hauled away |
| 4 | How often will you come? | Several schedules, matched to your dogs |
| 5 | Is there a contract? | Month to month, with easy cancelling |
| 6 | What's the full price? | Per visit and per month, before you pay |
| 7 | What if you miss a spot? | A set window to report it and a free fix |
| 8 | What happens in bad weather? | A written plan for rain, storms and snow |
| 9 | How will you keep me posted? | A message or photo from every visit |
| 10 | Can you handle an HOA or business? | Stations, common areas and visit reports |
1. Do you disinfect tools and boots between yards?
This one is about your dog's health. A scooper and a pair of boots visit a lot of yards in a day, and whatever is on them can travel.
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, dogs pick up canine parvovirus from infected feces, either directly or through contaminated surroundings, equipment and people. Outdoors, sheltered from sun and drying, the virus can persist for many months and possibly years, and it resists many common disinfectants. Ask your veterinarian whether your dog's vaccines are up to date.
A solid answer is specific about what gets cleaned (tools and boots, not just the scooper) and when (between every yard, not at the end of the day).
Our answer: Yes. We disinfect our tools and boots between yards, every visit.
2. How do you make sure my gate is closed?
An open gate can turn a good visit into a bad day. Ask what happens at the end of each visit, and how you'll know.
Our answer: We close and latch the gate when we leave and text you a photo of it. Tell us about anything tricky: a sticky latch, an invisible fence, sprinklers or an area to avoid. After we leave, gate security is yours, and the photo shows exactly how we left it.
3. Where does the waste go?
Into a trash can or off the property, and nowhere else. The Macomb County Health Department advises cleaning up pet waste routinely and putting it in the garbage, and Macomb County Public Works warns never to dump pet waste in a storm drain or ditch.
Our answer: We double-bag it and put it in your outdoor trash can. Rather not have it there? Add haul-away for $4 a visit, and it leaves with us.
4. How often will you come?
Often enough for your dogs. The right schedule depends on how many dogs you have and how much they use the yard.
Our answer: Weekly, every other week or twice a week, plus one-time cleanups. Weekly starts at $19 a visit for one dog on a yard up to a quarter acre, about $82 a month. One small dog with light yard use can often go every other week, and a bigger crew usually needs twice a week. Our guide on how often to pick up dog poop helps you choose.
5. Is there a contract?
Ask how you leave before you sign up. Cancelling should be as easy as starting.
Our answer: No contract and no minimum term. Plans are monthly subscriptions that renew automatically until you cancel. Cancel anytime from your account page or by text, call or email, with no fee, and you won't be charged again. Service continues through the end of the month you've paid for, and we don't refund partial months.
6. What's the full price, including extras?
You should see the per-visit price, the monthly total and every add-on before you pay anything. Ask what changes the price and whether any fees sit on top.
Our answer: Price your yard online in about 30 seconds. Your price depends on your dogs, schedule, yard size and add-ons, and checkout shows what's charged today and each month. On a weekly plan, each extra dog adds $3 a visit. The first cleanup is free with any plan; if the yard needs much more work than a normal first cleanup, we check with you before doing it. There are no card fees, prices include any tax that applies, and we give at least 30 days' notice before a price change. See what dog poop pickup costs for the full breakdown.
7. What if you miss a spot?
It happens, especially in long grass or mulch. Ask what the fix is and how long you have to report it.
Our answer: That's our Happy Yard Guarantee: report a missed spot within 24 hours of the visit, and we return to clean it free.
8. What happens in bad weather?
Michigan weather will test any schedule, so get the plan in writing. Rain alone shouldn't stop a visit; lightning should. The National Weather Service says there's no safe place outside when thunderstorms are in the area.
Our answer: We scoop in rain and cold. We reschedule for lightning, ice or unsafe conditions, usually to the next available day. In deep snow we clean what's reachable and catch up once it melts. When weather or a slip on our end costs you a visit we can't make up, you get a credit on your next bill.
9. How will you keep me posted?
You shouldn't have to wonder whether anyone came. Ask what you'll hear before and after a visit, and where your billing lives.
Our answer: You get a text when we're on the way and a gate-check photo when we're done. We email a receipt for every payment, and your account page shows your plan and lets you update your payment method or cancel. New requests hear back within one business day. Our service FAQ covers the day-to-day details.
10. Can you handle an HOA, apartment complex or business?
If you're on a board or manage a property, this is the big one. Even for a single yard, the answer tells you whether a company has routines beyond one backyard.
Our answer: Yes. We work with HOAs, condo associations, apartment communities and dog parks. We install, stock and empty pet waste stations, scoop common areas on a schedule, and send a time-stamped photo report after every visit. See commercial service.
What are the red flags when hiring a pooper scooper?
Vague answers to the questions above. Watch for:
- No written price before the first visit
- A long contract, or a fee to cancel
- No clear answer on disinfecting tools and boots between yards
- Fuzzy answers about where the waste goes
- No proof the gate was latched
- No way to report a missed spot, or no fix when you do
- No written terms you can read before you pay
Looking for a pooper scooper near you? We serve 22 communities across Macomb County. Put these questions to us by call or text at (586) 325-7970.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pooper scooper service cost?
It depends on how many dogs you have, how often the service comes and how big your yard is. Our weekly service starts at $19 a visit for one dog on a yard up to a quarter acre, about $82 a month, and one-time cleanups start at $133. Our quote tool shows your exact price in about 30 seconds.
What should an HOA ask a pet waste company?
Ask how many stations they recommend and where, how often they restock bags and empty cans, whether common-area scooping is included, how you'll see proof of each visit, and how billing works across more than one property. We handle stations, scooping and a photo report after every visit; see our commercial service.
Do pooper scooper services spray anything in the yard?
Ours only does if you ask. Our deodorize and sanitize add-on is a pet-safe enzyme spray for potty zones, for $8 a visit; without it, nothing gets sprayed on your lawn. Whoever you hire, ask what they spray, where they spray it, and whether it's safe for pets and kids before you say yes.
Should I get a pooper scooper's terms in writing?
Yes. Before you pay, you should be able to read how billing, cancelling, missed visits and weather work. Ours are in plain English on our Terms and Conditions page: plans renew monthly until you cancel, there's no cancellation fee, and we give at least 30 days' notice before any price change.
What if I'm unhappy with the service?
Tell us. If we missed a spot, report it within 24 hours of the visit and we'll come back and clean it free. If it's more than that, you can cancel anytime from your account page or by text, with no cancellation fee. You keep service through the end of the month you've paid for.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual: canine parvovirus infection
- Macomb County Health Department: surface water quality
- Macomb County Public Works: pet waste and storm drains
- National Weather Service: lightning safety
Written by the Poopy Scoops team in Macomb County, Michigan, from the sources above. This guide is general information, not veterinary, medical or legal advice. Last updated September 28, 2026.