Business

Partners hoping to clean up
with home-based

FARRAH MAFFAI Cousins Abel Gomez (l) and Alex Minaca-pelli recently started their own canine waste removal company, the Doggie Minesweepers. The owners are pictured here with their dogs, Sadie and Bishop.

MILLTOWN — The lives of some dog owners are about to be made easier, at least in the greater Middlesex County area.

Whether you are throwing a party, going on vacation or just not in the mood to pick up after your dog, the Doggie Minesweepers, a new canine waste cleaning company, have recently opened up shop and are prepared to save the day.

Cousins Alex Minacapelli, 27, of Milltown, and Abel Gomez, 24, of Perth Amboy, have been ridding residential back yards, condominiums and commercial properties of canine waste and bacteria since May. Using a special scooper and a "secret formula disinfecting neutralizer spray," the Doggie Minesweepers promise to sanitize their customers’ properties on short notice.

"Our customers are very happy," said Gomez, a recent graduate of the Woodbridge-based DeVry College of Technology’s business program. "Most people are too busy. People don’t want to do it themselves."

The partners’ slogan is "Your best friend’s business is our business."

Minacapelli, a graduate of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, said that the startup business — a second job for the two cousins — involves more than aesthetically cleaning yards. According to Minacapelli, he and his partner can also identify whether a dog is sick just by looking at the color and consistency of the dog’s waste.

Minacapelli also stressed the importance of disinfecting yards that are located near wells or streams.

"Sometimes the bacteria has seeped into the water," he said.

The business partners said they presently have a small but growing customer base, but are willing to travel within a 40-mile radius of Middlesex County, and can respond to a call within approximately 24 hours. Though the cost of the service starts at $12 per week, it may change on a case-by-case basis depending on the number of dogs and the size of the property. The company offers discounts to senior citizens.

Gomez stated that in the next few months he and Minacapelli will also begin start to offer geese and duck waste removal from corporate lots.

The partners both said they believe there is a great need for their type of service, as it is somewhat unique in this area.

"Does anyone really enjoy picking up [dog waste]?" Minacapelli asked.

While they may not enjoy the actual activity themselves, the partners have found the process of initiating a home-based business to be rewarding.

The business can be reached at (732) 296-1237 or (732) 826-0162.

—Sandi Carpello