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Most HOA boards and property managers set next year’s vendor budget between October and December, which means the pet waste line item gets decided while the grounds still look fine. This pet waste removal vendor checklist is built for that moment. Print it, give each vendor its own column, and use it to shortlist companies before contracts start in January. It was written by The POO Crew, a pet waste removal company serving the Denver Metro, but the questions work for any vendor you’re comparing.
The checklist is grouped into five categories: insurance, proof of service, disposal, communication, and scope. A vendor that can’t answer a question in writing should get an empty box for it.
Send the same questions to every company on your list so you’re comparing like with like. Ask for answers by email, not over the phone, so the board has a record. When the responses come back, mark each line as met, not met, or unclear. “Unclear” usually becomes a follow-up question, and how quickly a vendor answers it tells you a lot about how they’ll communicate once they’re on site.
Two or three finalists are plenty for most communities. More than that and the comparison gets harder to read at a board meeting.
This is the section to check first, because a missing policy rules a vendor out no matter how good the price is. Your association’s own requirements, or your management company’s vendor policy, should set the minimums.
Workers’ compensation is the line that separates established companies from side hustles. If a technician is hurt on your grounds and the vendor doesn’t carry it, the question of who pays can land on the property.
Residents rarely see the crew arrive, so the board needs another way to know the work happened. Ask every vendor how they document each visit.
For reference, The POO Crew checks in on every scheduled visit and runs quality control checks every three months. Use whatever standard your community needs, but get it in writing from each vendor.
Where the waste goes after it leaves the grass matters more than most boards expect. A vendor that bags waste and drops it into your community dumpsters is shifting odor and container space onto the property.
Station bags come in different formats, so check whether your stations take rolls or header-style bags before you order. If you need refills, our pet waste station bags are made to fit most stations.
A good vendor is easy to reach and easy to hold accountable. Ask the questions below early, since the answers are hard to fix after a contract is signed.
References are worth the phone call. Ask a current client how the vendor handled a missed visit, since that’s where differences show up. You can read what our own clients say on our customer testimonials page.
Vague scope is the most common source of disputes later. Every vendor should be quoting the same areas and the same tasks, or the prices won’t be comparable.
Frequency deserves its own conversation with each vendor based on how many dogs live on site and how the grounds are used. Contract terms like notice periods, price changes, and renewals also deserve a separate review with your management company or association counsel before anyone signs.
Once the answers are in, a simple table keeps the board discussion focused on the gaps instead of the sales pitch.
| Category | Vendor A | Vendor B | Vendor C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance and risk | ☐ Met ☐ Not met | ☐ Met ☐ Not met | ☐ Met ☐ Not met |
| Proof of service | ☐ Met ☐ Not met | ☐ Met ☐ Not met | ☐ Met ☐ Not met |
| Disposal practices | ☐ Met ☐ Not met | ☐ Met ☐ Not met | ☐ Met ☐ Not met |
| Communication | ☐ Met ☐ Not met | ☐ Met ☐ Not met | ☐ Met ☐ Not met |
| Scope of work | ☐ Met ☐ Not met | ☐ Met ☐ Not met | ☐ Met ☐ Not met |
| Annual cost | $ | $ | $ |
Compare price last. A lower quote that skips station service or check-ins often costs more in resident complaints and manager time.
Pet waste is one of the first things residents notice and one of the most common complaints boards hear. It also affects shared turf, walking paths, and storm drains. If you need background for a board packet, our article on what dog waste does to shared green spaces covers the community side of the problem.
If your contracts start in January, a workable schedule looks like this: send questions in October, collect answers and estimates in early November, and put finalists on the December board agenda. That leaves time for insurance certificates and site walks before the first visit. Waiting until December usually means choosing from whoever can respond fastest, not whoever fits best.
Two or three finalists are usually enough. Send the same written questions to each so the answers line up in one table.
At minimum, ask for general liability and workers’ compensation. Your association’s vendor policy may require specific limits or additional insured status, so share those requirements when you request quotes.
Ask how they confirm each visit, what records you can access, how often they inspect their own work, and what happens when a visit is missed.
Start in October if you want a January start date. That gives the board a full meeting cycle to review estimates and ask follow-up questions.
If The POO Crew is on your shortlist, fill out our commercial property estimate form with your building count, station count, and a property map. Estimates are complimentary. Have a question before you request one? Contact The POO Crew team and we’ll walk you through it.
