New York winters are like Mother Nature’s way of hiding the city’s dirty laundry, as snow buries all sorts of nastiness. We are talking about trash, mysterious black gum spots, and mountains of dog waste. It’s almost poetic, how the city gets a fluffy, innocent-looking cover for months, and then spring shows up, and all the gross element resurfaces. This year, the internet lost it over one viral video. But everyone started bickering over politics instead of gagging at the mess.
A video making the rounds features someone walking down a sidewalk, camera in hand, and it’s absolutely wrecked with dog waste everywhere. You would think it was some kind of avant-garde art project if it didn’t smell so bad. Whoever is filming is panning around, and there’s no clean spot on the pavement.
Next to that video, there’s a photo of the same street from earlier in the season, back when it was blanketed in snow. It’s obvious what happened: once the snow melted, all the mess people left behind was suddenly out in the open.
The person behind the camera says they have never seen anything like this before. You can’t even blame them. Who wants to play hopscotch with dog mess on their way home? Now, you would expect people to be mad at dog owners for not picking up after their pets, but the conversation online took a sharp turn and got political.
People started pointing fingers at representatives like the Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, saying sidewalks prove the city isn’t being run well. However, not everyone agreed. Some thought it was absurd to expect any mayor, no matter their party, to chase after every dog walker with a bag in hand.
A few commenters argued that this is what New Yorkers voted for. But then some old-timers weighed in, arguing that this happens every year. It’s gross, but it’s hardly a shock.
Internet Reacts as New York Snowmelt Reveals Littered Sidewalks
The debate quickly turned political, with many users arguing that voters were now facing the consequences of their choices. “Isn’t that what you voted for?” one person wrote. Another added, “They got what they voted for, can’t control your pet.”
Some comments were more direct. “He was voted for. Now yall have to deal with what you voted for. Enjoy,” a user said. One supporter even chimed in, “My favorite mayor in the USA. Thank you for doing this. New York got what they voted for and I am happy about it.”
Others pushed back, questioning how the issue could be blamed on city leadership at all. “So, the streets are full of poop from dog walkers not picking it up, but somehow this is Mandani’s fault!!!?” one comment read. Another wrote, “Bruh, it mainly the dog owners fault as if your dog poops in a public place, you have to pick it up with a bag and throw it away.”
A few responses used sarcasm to make their point. “so it’s Mamdani’s fault that people are too lazy to pick up after their dogs during snowy weather?” one user asked. “Mamdani mandated that all dogs must poop on the sidewalk,” another joked.
Some viewers argued the situation wasn’t new at all. “It’s literally like this every year but yes suddenly it’s the new mayors fault,” one person said. Another added, “My backyard looks the same after the snow melted. Can I blame him too, I live in PA tho.”
The viral debate isn’t really about politics. It’s about responsibility. New York City can write tickets and set rules, but it can’t shadow every single pet owner. Blaming politicians for what someone’s dog left behind might feel good for a minute online, but it doesn’t clean up the street. So as winter fades and spring shows up, the mess isn’t really surprising anymore. It’s more about who people want to blame for a problem that’s been there the whole time.
