District officials are tugging at the heartstrings in their campaign to get people to clear their sidewalks after a snowfall.

The law requires residents and businesses to clear the walks in front of their buildings within eight hours of daylight after the snow stops, yet anyone who has walked in the city after a storm can name many scofflaws. So city officials are trying another tactic.

Perhaps a woman pushing a baby stroller in the street beside a snow-covered sidewalk will melt those cold, cold hearts?

The city is featuring a photo of the mother and child in a new campaign. Expect to see the poster later this winter on bus shelters and on blogs and elsewhere.

“It is our responsibility to make sure the roadways are treated, plowed and passable,” District Department of Transportation Interim Director Terry Bellamy said. “But many people moving around the city are on foot, and we need every property owner to pitch in to ensure the sidewalks are as safe and clear as the streets.”

D.C. residents will have their next chance to comply with the law Tuesday, as the snow is expected to start in the afternoon.