on September 10, 2026

Louisiana Dog Poop Laws

Quick answer: Louisiana has no statewide pooper scooper law. Picking up after your dog is regulated city by city, and all three of the largest cities we checked have an ordinance requiring it. None of them uses a set ticket amount. Fines are set by a judge within a range the code allows.

Why Louisiana leaves it to cities

Louisiana has no statewide dog-waste law. La. R.S. 3:2771 bars letting a dog run at large on unenclosed land or trespass on another's land, and La. R.S. 3:2731 lets parishes and municipalities adopt their own ordinances on dogs running at large, vicious or dangerous dogs, and related fees and fines. Pickup rules come from city and parish codes.

  • Dogs not to run at large or trespass on lands of another: La. R.S. 3:2771 (read it)
  • Parishes and municipalities may regulate dogs running at large: La. R.S. 3:2731 (read it)
  • Seizure of dogs running at large or trespassing: La. R.S. 3:2773 (read it)

Pooper scooper laws in Louisiana's largest cities

Each row comes from the city's own municipal code. "Up to" is the most a court can impose, not a standard ticket. Where a city publishes no amount, we say so rather than estimate one.

City Ordinance Fine Must carry a bag
New Orleans New Orleans Code of Ordinances Sec. 18-13 (Soiling of public and private property by animals); M.C.S. Ord. No. 16,828 (12-15-1994), M.C.S. Ord. No. 22996 (2-15-2008) At least $100 No
Baton Rouge Code of Ordinances of the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge, Sec. 14:204(3) (no dog or cat shall cause a nuisance), read with Sec. 14:110 (nuisance includes defecating on property other than the owner's, or on public sidewalks) Up to $500 No
Shreveport Shreveport Code of Ordinances Sec. 14-17(d) (Nuisance; owner to maintain clean premises); Ord. No. 37, 2016 (5-24-2016) Up to $1,000 No

The rule people miss: carrying the bag

None of the cities we checked in Louisiana spell out a separate duty to carry a bag, but the pickup duty applies the moment your dog goes, and "I did not have a bag" is not a defense in any of them.

A bag holder on the leash solves that for good. Ours is the Walk Dispenser, which clips on and holds a full roll.

Worth knowing about Louisiana

  • New Orleans pairs a minimum $100 fine with a mandatory minimum of three seven-hour days (21 hours) of trash cleanup duty, and holds parents liable for a minor's dog.
  • New Orleans and Shreveport both impose the pickup duty even when the owner was not present when the dog soiled the property.
  • In Baton Rouge the rule is written as a nuisance definition, not a pickup duty.

Common questions

Is it illegal to not pick up dog poop in Louisiana?

There is no statewide law, but every one of the largest cities we checked has a pickup rule, and most smaller towns have similar ordinances. Check your own city or county code.

How much is the fine for not picking up dog poop in Louisiana?

It depends on the city. New Orleans: At least $100. Baton Rouge: Up to $500. Shreveport: Up to $1,000.

Do I have to carry a poop bag in Louisiana?

Not as a separate rule in the cities we checked. You still have to pick up, so in practice you need one.

Other states in the South

Texas · Florida · Georgia · North Carolina · Virginia · Tennessee · Maryland · South Carolina

See all 50 states · How scoop laws work in general

Sources

Checked 2026-09-10. Ordinances change, so if you are dealing with an actual citation, read the current code at the link rather than relying on this page.

This page is general information, not legal advice.