Springfield, Massachusetts Dog Poop Law

Quick answer: Yes. Springfield requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs under Springfield City Code § 110-11. The set ticket for a first offense is $50, and $100 for a repeat. You are also required to carry a means of removal whenever you walk your dog.

What the Springfield ordinance says

How the penalty works

§ 110-11D: '$50 for the first offense, $100 for the second offense, and $300 for the third and subsequent offenses.' Under § 110-13, animal control officers may issue a citation for a first offense with or without a prior warning. Fines are due within 21 days.

The carry rule

§ 110-11B: anyone with an animal on a public walk, street, recreation area, or private property 'shall possess the means of removal of any fecal matter.' § 110-11C defines that as 'any tool, implement or other device carried for the purpose of picking up or containing such fecal matter.'

Service animals

§ 110-11 contains no service-dog exemption. Service dogs are exempt only from the license fee.

How Springfield compares

At $50, the Springfield ticket is the same as Boston and Worcester. Springfield is also stricter than Worcester on carrying: here the empty pocket is itself the offense.

In practice

Because Springfield requires you to carry a way to clean up, the simplest way to stay on the right side of it is to keep bags on the leash itself, so they leave the house every time the dog does. The Walk Dispenser clips to the leash and holds a full roll.

Elsewhere in Massachusetts

Massachusetts dog poop laws covers the state and its other large cities. Nearby: Boston dog poop law · Worcester dog poop law. All 50 states.

Source

Checked 2026-09-10 against the Springfield municipal code. Codes change, so read the current version before relying on this for an actual citation.

This page is general information, not legal advice.