Learn More here: Scoop the Poop Info Flyer
When pet waste washes into storm drains, it flows untreated into nearby rivers and streams, fish and wildlife habitats, recreational areas, and drinking water supplies. If you own a dog, please do your doody to help us keep our waters clean: Scoop the Poop!
Scooping the poop is not just about the mess – it’s about clean water and the health of our community. Dog waste has much, much more harmful bacteria than other wildlife like geese, and twice as much bacteria compared to human waste. The average dog produces 3 billion fecal coliform bacteria each time they poop. This bacteria can lead to Giardia, E. coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter, and children are most at risk.
Animal waste contains two main types of pollutants that harm local waters: nutrients and pathogens. When this waste ends up in water bodies, it decomposes, releasing nutrients that cause excessive growth of algae and weeds. This makes the water murky, green, smelly, and even unusable for swimming, boating, and/or fishing. The pathogens, disease-causing bacteria and viruses, can also make local waters unswimmable and unfishable, and have caused severe illness in humans.
You can help keep our waters clean:
- Always bring dog-waste bags and dispose of waste in a trash can.
- Never put it in a recycling bin or toss down a storm drain.
- Never use dog poop as a “natural” fertilizer in your yard or garden – it can be toxic to your family.
- Never leave dog-waste bags on the roadside or dump them into catch basins.