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By DIANA SHOLLEY, STAFF WRITER Some
people may think Brock Buccola's job stinks.
And in many cases it does, but it doesn't bother him.
The aroma filling his nostrils these days is the sweet smell of
success.
Buccola is the owner and founder of The Poop Troop, a pet waste
removal service he established more than a year ago.
About a month ago he started branching out into the Inland Valley
beginning with Upland and Rancho Cucamonga.
"I was the director of finance for a Los Angeles law firm and
commuting three and a half to four hours a day," said Buccola, who
lives in Victorville with his wife and three daughters. "When I
moved to the high dessert the commute was unbearable. It was
stressful and I never had any time to spend with my family or to be
a real part of my community."
Buccola was starting to explore self-employment options when his
wife Darlene approached him with an idea.
"At first I thought she was crazy," he laughed. "But we used to live
in San Clemente and there was this guy that did the same kind of
thing. He was pretty successful. My wife started to investigate."
Darlene's "crazy" idea started to grow on Buccola. He wanted
something service oriented, freedom to live by his own schedule and
working with something he loves. He loves dogs and caring for them.
"I was always the kid bringing home the strays," he laughed. "We
have one now, a 96-pound black Lab mix. I started to believe in the
idea."
Buccola started The Poop Troop on weekends, keeping his Los Angeles
job during the week.
It didn't take long before the word got around that for a fee
someone, in a professional manner, would come to your home walk the
property perimeter pick up waste double bag and trash it put the
word out.
"I'm meticulous and a perfectionist," said Buccola who belongs to
the Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists. "I usually
come once a week, unless we decide, between me and the client I need
to come more, and entire property, up and down, crossways and
diagonal. All our tools are cleaned and disinfected after each
yard."
Buccola has no problem with the homeowner's dog/dogs being in the
yard while he scoops, he loves the company and takes time to pet or
play with them a few minutes each time he arrives.
"I'm not saying the job's not hard work, it is," he said. "But I
knew I could handle it. My dad was a contractor for 35 years and I
use to help him and I was a Marine for four years. I'm no stranger
to hard work and this is a lot less stress."
Buccola wrote a clever radio ad and after about nine months of
starting his business, he resigned from his firm. He still does
consulting for them on a minimal basis.
"I switched all my clients to weekdays and am able to expand," he
said. "I chose this area because I fell in love with it during my
commute."
After Buccola drove from Victorville to Rancho Cucamonga he would
catch the Metrolink into Los Angeles then the red line to work. He
had a lot of time to think and admire the scenery he passed.
"There's a lot of big yards and there's a good chance those yards
have dogs," he said. "I just believe that an area like this would
appreciate my service."
From personal experience Buccola knows that scooping poop isn't the
most pleasurable part of dog ownership. It also keeps people from
enjoying their back yards.
"Dog waste is breeding ground for bacteria," he said. "Leaving it
brings flies, from flies you get maggots and maggots produce flies.
It's a vicious cycle. Then if dogs roll in the soil or grass where
feces has been left they can catch disease. And it smells bad for
the neighbors."
A criticism that Buccola has heard often is that people who would
use a pooper-scooper service are simply "lazy."
"They cannot believe people would pay to have us take care of this
for them," he said. "I have a different view of our clients. They
are extremely responsible dog owners. They recognize the importance
of regularly and efficiently removing dog feces from their yards."
Buccola has clients who use his service for a variety of reasons
including those physically unable to do it, time constraints and a
physical adversity to smell. Germaine Vondran developed such an odor
aversion after she became pregnant.
"It never bothered me before," said the Upland resident. "But now I
can't stand it, it grosses me out."
Vondran and her husband Tim own two dogs, a yellow Labrador named
Bailey and a black one named Tahoe.
"These dogs go through a 40-pound bag of dog food every other week
so they have plenty of waste," she said. "(Buccola) is wonderful.
He's always on time. He does a great job and it's so much more
sanitary. It keeps my lawn clean and the flies away."
Vondran also appreciate the hours it saves her.
"Our time is worth the money it costs," she said. "We have our yard
back and are enjoying it again."
Who: Brock Buccola What: The Poop Troop, pet waste removal service
Cost: $12 first dog; $3 for each additional dog Information: (760)
946-5290 or toll free (866) 946-5290 or www.pooptroop.com
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