By TOM VANEK

"When I started the business a year or so ago, I
had a truck," Miklosovic said, "but I was spend-
ing a fortune on gas.  Since I don't transport the
waste, I could get away with a smaller vehicle, as
long as my tools fit in the back."

   Miklosovic said he went with the VW Beetle
because it is an icon - a car that's recognized 
worldwide, but still gets attention.

   "People notice the Beetle, then they look at the
sign," he said.

Miklosovic said he and wife, Doe, started the
                                           See SCOOP, page A14

   Spring is here and for Brook Park resident 
Mike Miklosovic business is picking up.
    
   Of course for Miklosovic business is picking 
up whatever the time of year. He's in waste man-
 agement - Dog Waste Management, to be exact.

    Six days a week, Miklosovic can be spotted 
driving all over northeast Ohio in his Volkswagen
 Beetle, which he calls the dung beetle, after the 
coprophagous insects that keep the prairie clean.

PAGE A14

 would hire someone to clean up
the yard," he said.

After he initial jokes and
laughter such a business gener-
ates, Miklosovic said the idea
started to make sense and ap-
peal to him.

   "I'm kind of a jack-of-all-
trades, I could have done any-
thing," he said.  "I used to work
as a landscaper and I like work-
ing outside, so I started thinking
about it seriously.  A lot of peo-
ple thought it was a kind of neat
idea and there aren't a lot of
people out there doing it."

   Before he knew it, Miklo-
sovic formed Dog Waste Man-
agement, built his own tools and
was his own boss.

   "We decided we didn't want
to get cutesy with the name,"
Doe said.  "We didn't want any-
thing like Poopy Scoopy, or 
some of the other names we

heard about.  We wanted some-
thing neutral that wouldn't of-
fend people."

Miklosovic said he and Doe
just offer a service that a lot of
people find valuable.

   "We're not out to gouge peo-
ple," he said, " Our rates are rea-
sonable and seniors and guide
dogs get a discount."

   He said rates are determined
by the number of dogs in the
household.  "That's really the
only way to do it, since yard
sizes vary so much," he said.


   The weekly at for one dog
is $7.50, with $4 extra for each
additional dog.  Bi-weekly rates
are also available, as well as
every-other week, spring
cleanup and special one-time
visits.  Spring cleanup costs $30
for a one-dog home.

   "Some people call us and say
they're having a party, can we
come and clean up for them,"
he said, "We can usually ac-
commodate them."

   Miklosovic said he travels all
over Cuyahoga and most of the
surrounding counties, grouping
visits by region to save on gaso-
line.

   "The whole idea," he said, "is
to go into an area, hit a bunch of
houses and leave.  That keeps 
the cost down and keeps it af-
fordable.

   "We even have a special rate
for neighborhood signups."

   Doe said Mike handles the
field work and she runs the of-
fice and does the billing, but if
the business grows to the point
where they need to add another
hand, she will be happy to han-
dle the dirty work, as well.

   "We're working for ourselves
now," she said.  "And we do a 
good job."

   "We figure if we treat the 
customer's yard like our own
yard, we'll keep people happy."

business after the high-tech
manufacturing firm where he'd
worked for about 10 years de-
cided to downsize.

  "We wanted to become self-
sufficient," he said, adding that
companies have "no dedication
or loyalty anymore."

   "I figured I'd retire from the
manufacturing company, but I 
guess they had other plans."

   Miklosovic said he and Doe
looked at a few different busi-
ness ideas, when saw a news
story about a man in Columbus
who started a Pet Butler busi-
ness.

   "I talked about it with some
friends and the said they were
pretty busy these days and the