Dog Waste in the Waters By: Jill Holwick Think Tank Midterm Assessment

Why is it important?  Scientists have labeled dog feces entering and affecting human waterways as the “Fido Hypothesis.”  Dog waste contains many bacterium including; E.Coli, Salmonella, Tuberculosis, and Belly worm.  It is washed into rivers, oceans, lakes, creeks, and bays mainly by rain.  If a human ingests contaminated water it could cause them to have serious intestinal and kidney illness, and possible death.  Dog waste is one of the top pollutants.

Continued…  Each gram of dog waste contains 23 million fecal coliform colonies.  The bacteria becomes part of the storm water runoff.  The Environmental Protection Agency put pet waste in the category as toxic chemicals and oil. They also said that dog waste is non-point pollution.  However, there is one positive of dog waste which is that when it decays, it creates nutrients for weeds and algae that are needed in our waterways.

What can YOU do?  The main thing that can be done to cause this is to “scoop the poop.” By not cleaning up after your pet, you are littering because the waste is now a factor in major pollution.  It is good to always bring a bag to put the pet’s waste in, so that it can be thrown out afterwards and will not flow into our water.

Just Think…  Next time you or someone else does not pickup after your pet, just think about the consequences from that. Just think of how the pet waste will most likely go into the water, and you could possibly swim or drink the water. And one more thing, ALWAYS SCOOP THE POOP!

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