Despite several notices sent out to all residents about broken glass and uncapped syringes in trash bags, we had an incident this morning where one of our maintenance guys received a 2″-2 /12″ cut on his leg because a homeowner put broken glass into a plastic trash bag. Common sense would indicate that broken glass should be contained in a manner so as not to injure another person and failing to do so is willful negligence. The homeowner admitted they put glass in the bag, something they normally would not do.
As a reminder, all broken glass, bottles, window panes, mirrors or other broken and jagged glass materials MUST be in a box that is securely taped closed. We have sent out sufficient warnings; any further instances of broken glass in plastic trash bags will result in an appropriate fine to the responsible party.
If this was not bad enough, from the very same street where the broken glass in the trash bag originated, we had another trash bag with 5 or 6 uncapped syringes and needles used with Insulin pens. This is also negligent and one of the guys got stuck by an uncapped syringe.
I am diabetic and I understand the concept of a bio-hazard. Not only do I cap all of my used syringes/pen needles, I also put them in a coffee can and secure the lid. It is the reasonable and responsible thing to do. And yet, we have had several instances of our residents not even bothering to put the cap back on the sharp end. This is a Health and Safety violation and can result in fines pursuant to Texas Property Code, Section 209.006.
As a resident who has an insulin dependant diabetic in the household, THIS household puts the syringes in a container with a LID in the trash. However, with the MULTITUDE of raccoons in the area who are becoming not ONLY higher in numbers, but braver, they are tearing up anything they can get into. They have even gotten a SHUT shed door opened here, tore open a screen to gain access to a shed that btw has NO FOOD ITEMS IN IT, and opened up a trash can secured by 3 bungie cords tight. So a coffee can or sealed container should be NO effort for them at this point. I love animals but they are wild and as much as it pains me to say it, it MIGHT be time to involve animal control. I, too, am guilty for having thrown out a tidbit of bread for them in the past but I stopped some time ago as this helps neither THEM NOR us. Once they find someone feeds them, they will NOT migrate to food and start growing in numbers. They are getting aggressive and have even chased me into my own home after dark on MY patio. I think that the call to Animal Control needs to come from the Association. We also have a young female tabby gray cat with a pink collar who is tearing up trash bags…I saw her and ran her off. She belongs to someone who lives here who is letting her roam. But throwing broken glass OR uncapped syringes away is thoughtless, careless and should not be happening.
We have absolutely no control over the raccoon population; that is something for which you need to contact Animal Control. The City of Grand Prairie has authority here, not the HOA. We get a lot of calls about critters from the woods. The HOA does not own the woods on the western side of the property;, the City, Dallas County, and a few others own the woods.
You may not be aware of this, but cats are allowed to roam free, dogs are not. That’s how the current city ordinances are written. However, if a cat is a nuisance you can report it to Animal Services at this number, (972) 237-8576.
As a side note:
Sec. 519. Identification tags required.
All dogs and cats owned, kept, harbored or maintained within the city shall wear at all times an identification tag containing the name, address and telephone number of the person who owns, keeps, harbors or maintains such animal, or a metal tag of a design prescribed by the animal
control manager.
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Even IF cats are allowed to roam free, they must be tagged.
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Now interestingly, I have my dogs tagged, and a name and number on the tags, as well as the number to verify their chip, however not the address. After all, there is only so much room on the tags.
Regardless, my point is even if they roam free, they still need to be tagged. Cats too!
Yes, I am aware of the ordinances; the Supervisor from Animal Services has visited the Office to apprise us of the rules, several homeowners attended the meeting. While these animals might be tagged, getting the information off of the tag is not always possible if the animal does not want to let you catch them. And there are people who simply do not follow the rules even though they are aware of those rules.
We seem to have digressed from the actual subject of broken glass and uncapped needles.