We’ve all heard that cleaning up after our dogs is essential. But today, that takes on quite a different meaning.

When the coronavirus outbreak caused Governor Murphy to enact the “Stay at Home” Executive Order, businesses like Pennsauken’s All Dogs Poop have been reaching out to county and state officials to get a clearer answer in regards to how their service is categorized.

“I called Congressman Norcross’ office, as well as the Department of Health and Human Services, explaining the whole situation,” said Le Ann Frost, the Pennsauken resident who co-owns All Dogs Poop with her wife, Julie Woodward. “We’re such a niche business. Our employees work alone and there is no risk of social spreading of the virus. We consider ourselves to be essential because what we do helps to stop the spread of disease that can be carried by dogs that affect humans. Our service also helps limit the amount of dog waste that travels through rainwater runoff into our sewers and into our waterways.”

Because of their due diligence, All Dogs Poop has been able to help their customers since Executive Order #107 took effect, which in turn has kept their employees working when they needed it most.

“We had an employee who was out for four weeks because of the virus. We were able to keep paying her,” explained Frost. “We were also able to give extra work to another one of our employees, a single parent who was laid off from another position; it’s helping her make ends meet.

“Living our values is why we own our own business. Julie and I value our employees. They are our most important asset. As such, we must take protecting them as a major responsibility. We can’t service our hundreds of weekly clients without them. They are the faces of All Dogs Poop.”

Frost and Woodward count themselves lucky to be able to stay in business, just by cleaning up after dogs doing theirs.

“Business has been good and we’re going to get back to some sense of normalcy soon, having survived the worst of it. We could have taken advantage of a PPP loan, but we didn’t feel comfortable applying for something that another business desperately needs,” said Frost. “Who knew that deciding to clean dog poop 12 years ago would work out?”