Edward H. Lehner, a New York lawyer, legislator and judge who helped pass the groundbreaking 'pooper-scooper' law in the 1970s, died on Sept. 9 in Brooklyn at 93. His family confirmed he suffered from head and neck cancer.

Before Public Health Law 1310, New York City was a 'minefield of dog dirt,' with dog feces on sidewalks, streets, and parks. As Lehner recalled, 'you would come home and have it all over you.' Opponents argued the cleanup requirement would be physically challenging and cause owners to abandon pets, but the bill gathered steam in Albany. Introduced in 1977 by Lehner in the Assembly and State Senator Franz S.

Leichter in the Senate, it required cleanup or risked a fine of up to $100. Friends said the legislators' interest stemmed from personal experiences being 'assaulted by dog doo on a regular basis.' The law inspired other cities and states, helping urban renewal and drawing people and corporations back to the city. Parks commissioner Henry J.

Stern called it 'one of the best things that ever happened to New York City parks.'.