BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — Most dog owners don’t enjoy cleaning up after their pets. For one South Florida entrepreneur, it’s become a growing business.
Gianni Russo is the owner — and only employee — of Scoopy Doodz, a pet waste removal service that travels to homes across Broward, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties.
Before stepping into each customer’s yard, Russo slips disposable boot covers over his shoes, grabs a rake and poop scoop, and gets to work.
“I use these foot covers not only so I don’t step in poop, because I also don’t want to track poop into other people’s yards,” Russo said.
Russo said every yard is cleaned using the same methodical process.
“So right now, what I do is I compartmentalize the yard into a few sections and then I’ll scale it by walking from one side to the other, taking one side step and coming back. That way I don’t miss any spots whatsoever,” he said.
Before launching Scoopy Doodz, Russo worked professionally caring for dogs, building relationships with pet owners like Zach Feinsilver and his Wheaten Terrier, Zeke.
“Gianni then came to me and said that he was starting a company cleaning out the waste in the yards. And it’s perfect,” Feinsilver said.
For customers, the service is about more than convenience. Russo visits many homes weekly, helping homeowners avoid an unpleasant chore while keeping their yards cleaner.
“I think some people mention it to other people, like, ‘Hey, my friend is doing this, and it’s so wild and maybe it’s a joke.’ And then that person goes, ‘Well, actually, I need that service,’” Russo said.
Feinsilver said Russo’s personality is part of what keeps him coming back.
“It makes your life easy, it makes your house great, but dealing with him is a joy. So, he’s just the nicest guy. He’s always happy to have him there. And most important, my boy Zeke, my dog, he loves Gianni,” he said.
Asked whether hiring the service is about convenience, cleanliness or simply not wanting to deal with pet waste, Feinsilver’s answer was straightforward.
“Everything you just said,” he said. “I walk in the yard; I never worry about a thing. It’s like I don’t have a dog using the yard.”
Russo said the job also includes watching for anything unusual while he’s in a customer’s yard, from signs of illness to conditions that could affect the lawn.
“These burn spots in the grass actually come from nitrogen, that’s from dogs’ urine and waste,” Russo said. “Removing the waste before the sun can bake it into the grass actually saves your lawn as well.”
To prevent cross-contamination, Russo disinfects his tools after every stop.
At another stop, customer Sean Dunson said hiring Russo has simplified life with three dogs.
“Our dogs are outside all the time and so it just made sense to have someone that could just handle that for us and take it off our plate so that we don’t forget about it and end up having an accident and walking through it or our dogs walking through it and track it in,” Dunson said. “I found out about Gianni and Scoopy Doodz and the rest is history.”
Dunson said Russo’s thoroughness stands out.
“He’s very on it, very thorough. Every time they leave, we don’t have to worry about finding stray piles of poop everywhere. He handles everything,” he said.
Russo said some new customers are initially embarrassed to hire a pet waste removal service, but he tries to put them at ease.
“I’ve definitely had some customers who may be slightly embarrassed when I first showed up, but it’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he said. “I think it’s super normal. I’m just happy that they own a dog, and the dog has a yard.”
With visits starting at $18, Russo said the business has grown through referrals from satisfied customers — proving that even one of the least glamorous jobs can fill a real need for busy pet owners.
If you’re interested in learning more about Scoopy Doodz, you can call Russo at 561-288-6565 or email: walks@doggydoodz.com.
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