The importance of picking up dog poop

Dog poop is smelly and gross. After it has been expelled, most people have no desire to examine the steaming specimen, let alone collect it. Yet that is what we must do as dog owners. Picking up dog poop is of vital importance to the local ecosystem, your pocketbook, and your dog’s health.

Dog poop, unlike the fertilizing feces of animals like horses and chickens, adds harmful bacterial pollutants to the local water system. Like all manure, it can affect the nitrogen levels in the soil, as well. Dog poop is one of the chief pollutants in many streams and bodies of water. The green solution is to keep the earth and water healthy by picking up dog poop.

On a closer-to-home level, dog poop can carry such microorganisms as E. coli, giardia, and various worms. The bacteria can stay in the area for up to four years after defecation is complete; any family members or pets exposed are at risk of illness. Picking up dog poop from your own yard protects those most important. Additionally, becoming up close and personal with your dog poop can help you identify healthy feces and recognize causes for concern, like the aforementioned worms.

Due to increasing dog poop pollution in public areas, most cities now impose fines on dog owners who don’t clean up after their pets. Avoid a hit to your pocketbook by picking up dog poop. Many public outdoor spaces now offer dog poop friendly trash bins and complimentary poop bags, but as a responsible dog owner, you should always be prepared with your own supplies.

Picking up dog poop is simple and stinky. The frugal dog owner needs only a supply of plastic grocery bags to do the deed. Turn the bag inside out and over your hand like a glove, grasp the poop in your palm (now is a great time to check consistency), use your other hand to turn the bag right-ways around the dog poop, and tie it up. Toss the package in the trash and wash your hands for good measure.

For those particularly environmentally conscious dog owners, you can purchase supplies of biodegradable dog poop bags for the same purpose. Even the squeamish need not worry; handy pooper scoopers are available so that you don’t have to touch the pile.

Keep a stash of bags in your car for the park or trail, or use a fanny pack for taking walks. A tube of hand sanitizer may relieve the minds of the most cleanly dog walkers, so keep one handy. What ever your method, be prepared. Picking up dog poop ensures that our public places remain pet friendly, our water is clean, and our environment healthy.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 10th, 2008 at 9:32pm and is filed under Dog Poop Calendar, Dog Poop Info. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.