Dog owners know that they should pick up after their pup, but they don't always do that. Here are some Doo's and Don'ts to remind dog owners why they should bend over, wrap their hand in one of those plastic poop bags, and then place that bag in the nearest trash can.
The CDC says that dog poop can spread diseases including:
Campylobacter
Tapeworm
Hookworm
Roundworm
Giardia
E. coli
Salmonella
Dog poop left in yards is:
Bad for the environment. It can take up to a year for dog crap to fully decompose (depending on climate, the dog’s diet, and other factors).
Bad for you and your family. Dog feces contain 23 million bacteria -- twice as much as human waste.
Bad for other dogs. Some dogs have a tendency to eat other dogs' poop, making them sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says dog waste can spread diseases including tapeworm, hookworm, roundworm, E. coli, and more rarely salmonella.
Do's and Don'ts When Picking Up After Your Dog
Do's:
DO use dog poop bags, mutt mitts, or a pooper scooper. There’s a whole industry out there making it easier to clean up after our fur babies. Heck, you've probably wished you had invented and patented those doggie bags (the ones NOT for food).
DO let your dog out in the yard or take him or her for walks. If you don't, you could go through a handful of bags on one walk as your pup fills more than a bag or two with overdue doo. Don't lose track of time and leave your dog crossing his or her legs to keep from going inside your home.
DO hire a service if you'd rather avoid the business of picking up your dog's business. With hilariously memorable names like Sgt. Pooper’s, DoodyCalls, Poop 911, Scoop Masters, Pet Butler, and Yuckos, these services will gladly take this mess off your hands for a fee.
DO set an example. Be an upstanding (or bending over?) citizen. If you live in an apartment building, do the right thing when it comes to cleaning up after your dog. You may think you're safe leaving poop where it is under cover of dark, or when it's raining or snowing, or just because you think you can get away with it, but you never know who's watching.
Don’ts:
DON'T get fined. The threat of a citation and fine is a great motivator to bend over and scoop up your pet's poop. Check your city, county or homeowners/condo association rules and any penalties.
DON'T claim the doo isn't your dog's. Some apartment and townhome communities require a DNA sample from your pup's poop when you move in. If left-behind poop matches your dog's DNA sample (it will be sent to a service like Poo Prints), you will have been caught red -- or maybe brown -- handed. And then you will be fined.
DON'T leave the job half done. If you bag it, put it in the trash. You don’t leave the deer or duck you shot in the woods. By the same token, don't leave the black, blue, green, or other colored bag sitting on the sidewalk or toss it high into the trees along the hiking trail in Austin. Finish the job.
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