The scoop on poop! Diseases such as typhoid fever, diphtheria and cholera are no longer common in North America but human and animal waste still transmit disease and pollute the environment. One step responsible dog owners’ can do to ensure that dog poop does not end up in our rivers, streams and lakes is to pick up after our pets. Bacteria that seep into the ground can pollute beaches, threaten plants, fish, wildlife and people. Deer, beavers, muskrats, gulls and geese contribute to the contaminations of drinking water but in cities and towns dogs and cats are the major contributors. Dog waste is high in nitrogen and phosphorus which, if enter the waterways increase bacteria count. Recent studies in the United States traced 20% to 30% of the bacteria in water samples from urban watersheds to dog waste.
Dog poop is not just a smelly, unsightly form of pollution it is damaging to the environment. The simple solution is to pick up after your dog
