Honor Earth Day

Did you know that today is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day?

It is so important that we dog lovers understand how pet waste impacts our environment and our health.

The cold hard fact is this: dog poop isn't just on our lawns, it's in our drinking water. When pet owners do not pick up their pets' waste, storms wash it into storm drains, which empty out into the nearest waterway. That waste is filled with harmful bacteria and parasites that can make people sick.

At one time, people believed that doggy doo was not a problem. But in reality, dog waste is NOT fertilizer and it is NOT good for our lawns. (It is so acidic that it acts as a poison that will actually "burn" your grass.)

Earth Day was created in 1970 to "inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment." Earth Day is celebrated in spring - a time when dog waste is uncovered by spring thaw - making this the ideal time for us to take a closer look at the environmental effects of dog poop.

If you live in a northern state, dog poop accumulates in your yard all winter long. During the spring thaw, the snow melts away and your yard is filled with dog waste. Bacteria and parasites in that dog waste survive the harshest temperatures because they become dormant during those cold winter months. So when that dog waste thaws, those dangerous parasites and bacteria are unleashed in your back yard where they can cause harm to the environment, your pets and you. Also, as dog waste thaws it draws beetles and other pests. So the sooner you clean it up, the better.

Here's the bottom line. If you've got dog waste in your yard, patio or walkways, you have problems. Cleaning up dog poop is one of those inescapable realities of owning a dog. Nobody LIKES to do it, but it has to be done.

How about this great new invention: Doggie Doo Drain

Facts About the Dangers of Dog Poop

Dog poop is a problem we deal with on a daily basis. But is it dangerous? How much do you know? Is pet waste a health hazard?

Here are the dangerous facts:

1. Dog poop is NOT good fertilizer. It's toxic to your lawn! The high nutrient concentration in dog poop will burn and discolor the grass, creating "hot spots".

2. Nearly two decades ago, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified pet waste as a dangerous pollutant in the same category as toxic chemicals and oil.

3. You may not live near water, but unscooped poop from your yard is carried by overland water flow or is washed into storm drains, ending up in far away streams, rivers and ground water.

4. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms pet waste can spread parasites including hookworms, ringworms, tapeworms and Salmonella. When infected dog poop comes into contact with your lawn, the poop will eventually "disappear", but the parasite eggs can linger for years! When a human or animal comes into contact with that soil through everyday activities like walking barefoot, gardening or playing, they risk infection from those eggs ... even years after the poop is gone.

5. Pet waste is teaming with E. Coli and other harmful bacteria including fecal coliform bacteria, which causes serious kidney disorders, intestinal illness, cramps and diarrhea in humans. (There are 23 million fecal coliform bacteria in a single gram of pet waste!)

6. Dog poop often contains roundworm larvae, which cause blindness. If a human ingests a roundworm larva, it can migrate through the body causing disease to the brain, lungs, kidneys, liver, heart or eyes. So when people (especially children) touch soil, dog toys or anything that has been in contact with dog feces and then touch their mouths, they can become infected.

Dog poop doesn't just "wash away" or disappear. So if you're not disposing of your dog's waste, you're putting yourself, your family, your dog and your water supply at risk.