Keeping Dogs and Families Healthy
– By #Me
Everyone knows that a man’s best friend is fury with four paws and a wet nose. Dogs, for many they are as much a part of the family as your own children
Our fury friends are sweet and love us unconditionally, but there is one unsavory aspect to dog ownership that pet owners are all too familiar with, doggy doodie duty.
Most pet owners know that not cleaning up after their dog is a social faux “paw,” but did you know that leaving pet excrement behind is also harmful to your health and your dog’s health?
Many people think that dog droppings are similar to cow or horse manure which can be used as a compost fertilizer. While this is okay for range animals, domesticated dog and cat droppings have the opposite effect on your lawn or garden.
Instead of enriching the soil dogs are actually adding harmful toxic waste and bacteria. Here are a few reasons why it is important to clean up after you animal.
The rules are simple, whether at a dog park or your own back yard. If you bring it in, take it out. If your dog does a number 2, make sure to grab a plastic bag and dispose of it in a dog waste receptacle. Most dog park and public park areas have these available to encourage proper disposal.
Dog feces can contain bacteria, viruses, as well as other microbes. This waste leeches into the ground water and can make its way to your fury friend’s favorite swimming hole or drinking water.
Here is something else to gnaw on, the Environmental Protection Agency classifies pet waste as an environmental non-source pollutant. This is the same classification as acid drainage from abandoned mines, oil, grease, and toxic chemicals.
Dog excrement alone can contain a long list of goodies including parvovirus, giardia, roundworm, and tapeworm. And, with 38% of households in the US owning one dog or more, according to the American Veterinary Medication Association, proper dog waste disposal is essential.
While that puppy “fertilizer,” you left lying around has been breaking down into the soil, roundworms, parvovirus, and all are leeching into the soils of your backyard.
It’s not fun to think about but, eggs and parasites from infected fecal matter can survive in the park soil and your lawn for years! Knowing this makes everyday tasks like gardening, or playing the backyard seem like dangerous activates that require a biohazard suit!
There are ways to keep your back yard and local parks clean and inviting though! Make sure to keep plenty of plastic bags on hand. For a more environmental approach, there are dog waste bags that are biodegradable and help safely breakdown the waste. These can be ordered online or purchased at a pet supply store. Use them to pick up dog waste in your yard or while on walks!
If following your dog outside every time they need to use the bathroom doesn’t sound appealing to you, consider investing in a poop scoop or shovel, and make regular rounds in your yard each week. No matter what method you choose, just pick it up!
Check with your HOA or local city ordinances on how to dispose pet waste properly in your community. El Paso Disposal asks you to double bag your cat litter or dog waste when disposing in your trash bin.
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