Megan Herrera first thought about starting her own small business after having children. 

She and her husband, Richard, needed a diaper service, something that used to be available in Visalia when Megan was growing up. 

When she realized the services she wanted were no longer offered, everything clicked: What other basic services weren't available in town?

That’s where Scoopity Poops comes into the picture.

“We offer routine scoop services at various frequencies for residential customers, litter box services, deodorizing and sanitizing services and more,” Megan said. “As far as we know, we are the only business of this kind here in Tulare County.” 

Scoopity Poops provides pet waste removal services for residential areas including back yards, front yards, side yards, decks, patios and dog kennels.

They also offer commercial pet waste removal services for recreational parks, dog parks, businesses, empty lots, and apartments.

Scoopity Poops offers weekly, bi-weekly, every other week schedule options, as well as one-time services to its Visalia, Tulare, Exeter, Hanford and Lemoore customers. 

Prices vary depending on which option you select, how many animals you own, and what services you decide to use. 

Once a week service for one dog costs around $15 a week, whereas cleanup for four dogs is around $21 each week. For an additional fee, Scoopity Poops will use a microbial deodorizer and solid reducing treatment to help break down waste and reduce odors following the pickup.  

The product is lawn friendly and safe for use around pets, as well as livestock. 

Pricing is based on lots up to 1/4 acre, though they do clean larger lots.

And although lawn mowing isn’t required, Richard asks the lawn be cut shorter than mid-calf so he can provide the best service possible. 

Scoopity Poops also offers cat litter services. After scheduling a litter box appointment, Scoopity Poops provides customers with two litter boxes per cat – one for regular use and a backup litter box – along with litter. 

Each week, you set your dirty litter box or boxes outside on your porch and use the backup in the meantime. Scoopity Poops swings by to dump the dirty box, clean and sanitize it, and then replace it with fresh litter. 

The last service Scoopity Poops offers is its bucket option: a 5-gallon bucket with a bag and lid. 

“You scoop as often as you like and fill the bucket,” the Scoopity Poops website reads. “Each week, we will come and clean/sanitize your bucket, provide a new liner and haul the waste away.”  

To schedule a request for service, all you have to do is visit the Scoopity Poops website and fill out which services you will need. Megan said they will try to accommodate specific service dates and time requests, but for regular pickups, they try to stick to a route system for consistency and gas efficiency purposes.

For those scheduling a first-time yard cleaning, customers should be present with their pets for a minor introduction, unless the pet is aggressive toward strangers. 

After each cleaning, Scoopity Poops employees will leave a door hanger letting the customer know they stopped by and that the yard, litter box, or bucket is all clean and ready to go.

This business spotlight is part of a series of stories highlighting local spots in Tulare County. If you know someone with a great story, reach out to ljennings@gannett.com

Lauren Jennings covers education and news for the Visalia Times-Delta/Tulare Advance-Register. Follow her on Twitter @lolojennings. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.