Question

It is important to pick up waste from your pet because _____.



nutrients in waste can increase the algae population
bacteria in waste can infect aquatic organisms
mercury in waste can cause mercury poisoning in fish
bacteria in waste decreases the amount of oxygen in water

Answer 1

Nutrients in waste can increase the algae population .
Disease Control
There are several very common diseases that can be transmitted to dogs, cats and people through feces. These include Giardia, roundworms, hookworms, Salmonella, and E.coli. Did you know a heavily infected puppy can pass over a million roundworm eggs everyday? In addition, your dog can spread or contract parvovirus or coronavirus through infected feces. All of these diseases are very serious and common and every effort should be made by pet owners to keep their pets and family away from potentially infected feces. One of the easiest ways to do this is to install an in-ground stool digester like the Doggie Dooley. These digesters work like mini septic systems, safely breaking down feces and then allowing the residue to harmlessly sink into the surrounding soil. These handy little gadgets are one of the best ways to deal with dog or cat waste.

#2Make your Yard more Useable
Nobody likes to walk through a yard that is hiding "doggie land mines." If you and your children are afraid to use your yard because of the dog, then you are wasting one of your biggest time and financial investments. In addition, the pets will get less interactive exercise and suffer as well. Once or twice a day 'scooping' off your yard with a shovel or scooper pan will only take a couple of minutes and make it a place where everyone enjoys spending time.

#3Fly Control
Flies will consume and lay eggs in feces. These same flies will then come into your house and then spread disease as they pause on your counter and food. Need we say more about keeping feces cleaned up to prevent this cycle?

#4Responsible Pet Ownership
Your responsibility to clean up after your pet doesn't end when your dog leaves your yard. There are probably fewer things that aggravate neighbors more than a dog that 'goes' in their yard. Pet owners need to clean up after their pet every time they go to the bathroom. Period. No exceptions. If you are walking in the woods and your dog goes, then bury it. If you are in a park or neighborhood, pick it up with a plastic bag or a Dispoz-a-Scoop. If you don't have a yard, then walk your dog on a leash or get an electronic fence. Don't make your responsibility somebody else's problem.

Dis-Taste #5Preventing Stool Eating
While most dog owners think this doesn't apply to them or their dog, the shocking truth is that most dogs will engage in this unsavory practice at some point in their life. Dogs evolved as carnivore/scavengers and feces were considered fair game in lean times. To prevent this occasional indiscretion from becoming a life-long habit, clean up feces as soon as possible, especially in young dogs where the problem is most prevalent. At the first sign of this bad habit consider adding an oral product like Dis-Taste® to your dog's food to decrease the palatability of the stools.