When the Selectmen and animal control officer complain about dog excrement mucking up many areas of town, they’re not exaggerating the problem.

Walking from the library to Town Hall one recent afternoon, this reporter encountered two piles of poop on the sidewalk on separate streets, one already squashed by the tread of some unknowing pedestrian.

If there’s that much on sidewalks, image what’s in the grass.

The problem, says Massey, is that it’s hard to catch the dog (and the owner) in the act.

“I actually have to see the violation,” she said. “It’s a very difficult law to uphold because I cannot be everywhere.”

In 1994, the town instituted a $10 “pooper scooper” bylaw that authorized Massey, animal control officers and police to fine offenders. To date, Massey says she’s written one ticket.

“It’s so frustrating for me to come from a big city like Fall River and all of a sudden come to this beautiful little town that has more dog poo than any other town that I’ve worked in,” Massey said. “These people should be ashamed of themselves.”

She said people also leave behind shocking amounts of dog droppings at the rabies clinics provided each year at the Fire Department, and that if that continues, she may no longer have the event.

Town officials are aware of the problem and brought it up at a recent meeting where Selectman Paul Silva said he counted upwards of 40 piles of dog doings on the Mattapoisett Bike Path between Brandt Island Road and Mattapoisett Neck Road.

The issue has been a problem for some time in town, where there is a significant dog population. In 2015, 1,088 dogs were registered with the town.

Of particular concern is pet owners not picking up after their dogs near the water, which risks contaminating shellfish beds or damaging wetland areas.

“I don’t think a lot of people fully understand how serious this can be. It’s serious business,” said Town Administrator Mike Gagne.

To encourage residents to be more responsible, a number of doggie stations were posted, primarily around the Village but also on the bike path, with small trash bags and an area to throw away the feces.

Some people do use them, but not always for the right reasons. Massey said those on the bike path rarely have any dog poo bags in them, and someone actually disposed of a saw blade in the station near Town Hall, leaving the officer with a scar on her hand.

“That’s when we put ‘Dog waste only,’” said Massey.

Silva and Gagne say they believe many pet owners are responsible and do comply with the pooper scooper law, but there’s more that needs to be done.

“I think there has been substantial compliance,” Gagne said.

But, clearly, there are still plenty ignoring the rules. To that end, Selectmen requested a committee be formed to work on the problem. Gagne said six citizens will meet soon to begin discussing solutions, which may begin with flyers sent to licensed pet owners educating them on the negative impact the dog waste has.

Massey believes a stiffer fine would encourage better behavior.

“I want to raise the fine to $100 and actually catch somebody doing it,” she said.

Other solutions prove elusive, but Massey said people might stop leaving their dog poop everywhere if other residents made it clear the practice was unacceptable.

And, said Gagne, “It’s an issue that affects all.”