The Scoop on Poop

Posted on January 24, 2008
Filed Under General |

According the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), there are approximately 44.8 million households in the U.S. with at least one dog. This roughly equates to 74.8 million owned dogs, in 39% of American households.

That’s a lot of poop!

What we are doing with it, or NOT doing with it; that’s the bone we choose to pick with some irresponsible owners out there…some of whom are our neighbors. One of the largest contributors to water pollution in and around our major cities is urban runoff. A prominent source of some of this urban runoff comes directly from our dogs behind. Remember the figures above and see what the city of San Diego did to curb their dog poop problems….back in 2000. It’s now 2008, and although the poo figures are somewhat limited, one can infer there is significantly more poop on the planet now than there was 8 years ago. You’ll also notice that amongst the array of sources responsible for the pollution, dog poop is known to carry disease causing bacteria[1]. So in addition to the smell and walking hazard presented when waffle shoe meets fresh steamer, it’s also unhealthy!

Now, there isn’t going to be any barking, complaining, and lambasting emanating from our cultured canine community here. We’re just addressing the environmental concerns surrounding the increasing accumulation of our dog’s poop. As there will be more people, with more dogs; so there will be more poop…and more poollution if we don’t do anything to change our bad habits. We need to be responsible before the phrase stepping in shit takes on a whole new - literal - meaning.

It’s natural, sure. It’s fertilizer, not really….These are just some of the excuses we rationalize to ourselves while not taking the 5-15 seconds to bend over and clean up after our dogs. Well, that and our pride. Guilty as charged, been there done that - enough said. Again, we’re not looking to point fingers here; we’re looking to enact change in our own bad habits as responsible pet owners. However, change mean action! Let’s concentrate on the future, and practice the same kind of diligence in picking up our dog’s poop as we would tending to one of our children’s diapers. If you don’t care about your anonymous neighbor enough to clean up after your dog, then consider the next time you go the beach, lake, or river…and think about how many other people care just as little as you.

“Little dog, little poop…”
- Little mind

“It’s fertilizer”
- Shithead

Woodsey the Owl, Smokey the Bear…Mr. Hankey. We need a good poop-scooping advocate; a pillar of the community, a stalwart defender of canine rights - the voice of reason. We know you’re out there somewhere…

[1] Click here for the entire article by Traci Watson of the USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/news/science/2002-06-07-dog-usat.htm

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