How Bad is Dog Poop for You and the Environment?

Dog ownership surely is one of the most joyous and fulfilling experiences in life. However, it also comes with its fair share of responsibilities. One of the less glamorous but crucial duties is managing dog waste. Many pet owners might not realize the significant impact dog poop can have on the health of themselves, their kids, others around them, as well as the overall environment. This article delves into why it's absolutely essential to scoop the dog poop and the best practices for doing so.

The Dangers of Dog Poop

You may think that dogs are like any other animal in nature; so, how harmful can their poop be? Turns out, very. Canine excrement carries a significant risk to both humans and the environment.

Health Risks

Dog poop is more than just an unpleasant sight or smell; it poses serious health risks.  

Health risks for humans:

Dog poop is full of harmful bacteria and parasites, including coliforms, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium. The Clean Water Campaign in Georgia highlights that a single gram of pet waste can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria that can spread to animals and humans, leading to severe gastrointestinal diseases. Children playing in contaminated soil are particularly vulnerable, as they might accidentally ingest or come in contact with harmful microorganisms.

Moreover, dog poop lying around in public places attracts pests like flies and rodents, posing a serious public health concern.

Health risks for dogs:

Another concern is canine parvovirus (CPV) which spreads through direct contact with infected dogs, exposure to their feces, or touching surfaces contaminated with the virus. This is a widespread and highly contagious virus that often leads to severe gastrointestinal illness in all dogs, especially puppies and unvaccinated dogs. The more dangerous issue is that even after recovery, dogs can shed the virus in their stool for weeks, making it vital to dispose of dog waste properly.

Environmental Impact

The environmental impact of dog waste often goes underestimated.

Water contamination:

A significant issue arising from canine waste is water pollution. Left on the ground or thrown in landfills, dog poop decomposes slowly, not only releasing harmful nutrients and pathogens but also leading to water contamination and methane gas production. Moreover, when this waste gets washed into storm drains, it also ends up in local waterways, such as streams, rivers, lakes, and even oceans. This waste contributes to the nutrient load in these waters, leading to excessive algae growth and reduced oxygen levels. This process, known as eutrophication, can kill fish and make water unsafe for activities like swimming and fishing.

Soil contamination:

Contrary to what some people believe, dog poop itself is not a good fertilizer. Unlike cow manure, which is beneficial to soil due to the cow’s herbivorous diet, dog waste is harmful because of the high protein content in a dog's diet. This makes dog waste highly acidic and unsuitable for soil enrichment. Instead, it can damage grass, plants, and other vegetation, leaving unsightly brown spots and creating an unhealthy environment for plants to grow.

Why Scooping Poop is Imperative

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that a typical dog excretes 274 pounds of waste annually. Given the health and environmental hazards, it's clear why picking up after your dog is essential. Many local laws mandate proper disposal of pet waste, and for good reason. Not only does it keep public spaces clean, but it also prevents the spread of diseases and protects our water resources.

Current methods of collecting and disposing of dog waste are broken

Presently there are various methods available for managing dog waste which may have their perks, but in practice, pose a series of issues and inconveniences:

• Pooper Scoopers: There are scooper tools available to pick up or shovel up dog poop. While these are designed to avoid direct contact with the poop, they are cumbersome, not suitable for plain surfaces, and therefore, highly impractical for city dwellers, who can’t clean them out easily, especially in apartment settings. Also, some scoopers require multiple attempts and leave remnants of waste behind.
• Plastic Bags: Using plastic bags to pick up dog waste is one of the usual practices.  Firstly, most commonly found plastic poop bags are often too flimsy, making contact with the waste unavoidable, thus defeating their purpose. And secondly, as we should be well aware at this point, plastic bags are extremely unsustainable for the environment. They take hundreds of years to degenerate, and some never do. Many states have already phased out plastic bags due to their detrimental environmental impact.
• Biodegradable plastic bags: To compete in the market with plastic bags, there are also biodegradable plastic bags sold to collect dog waste. Yet, the bags marketed as "eco-friendly" and "biodegradable" often still take years to completely decompose. More concerningly, during their disintegration, they may produce oxo-degradable plastics which are more harmful for the environment. To top it off, these supposedly compostable bags are also equally flimsy and get easily punctured, often leading to poop smear disaster.
• Professional Services: Some companies offer pet waste removal services to help keep yards and public spaces clean. However, these are only useful for those living in remote areas with large open fields but impractical and overly expensive for urban residents.

A New and Improved Solution by Anna Gannon: Curbicus

Business school graduate, former dog owner, and a sufferer of the available dog poop solutions, Anna Gannon decided to take a completely different route, and invent a device that can solve all the issues while being highly efficient in taking care of your dog's business. Her device, Curbicus, is designed to be a clean, hands-free, and environmentally safe option for dog owners. It features an ergonomic handle, a leash clip for convenience, is  lightweight, and uses compostable capsules for waste collection and disposal. This design ensures that dog waste is picked up easily and disposed of responsibly, without the need for plastic bags or direct contact with the waste.

Curbicus fits all the qualities of an ideal waste collecting device:

• Hygienic: The hands-free operation eliminates direct contact with waste, reducing the risk of spreading diseases.
• Convenient: The leash clip and lightweight design make it easy to carry and use during walks.
• Eco-friendly: The compostable capsules provide an environmentally friendly disposal method, reducing plastic waste.
• Climate and surface-friendly: The device is designed to work in any climate and any surface, whether it is grass, rock, ice, or sand.
• Ergonomic and stylish: The handle design is comfortable to use, reducing strain on the user, and fashioned to look good while carrying around.

Conclusion

Managing dog waste is a critical responsibility for pet owners, with significant implications for public health and the environment. Proper disposal practices, such as using tools like Curbicus, can mitigate these risks and ensure cleaner, safer communities. In fact, Anna plans to take this a step further by making arrangements for Curbicus compost bins exclusively for dog waste, aiming to repurpose it as fertilizer for green spaces, turning the waste into a valuable resource. By taking proactive steps to manage dog waste, we can protect our health, preserve our water quality, and maintain pleasant, clean public spaces for everyone to enjoy.

The post How Bad is Dog Poop for You and the Environment? appeared first on New York Tech Media.