6 Reasons Why Pet Parents Should Pick Up Their Dog's Poop

6 Reasons Why Pet Parents Should Pick Up Their Dog's Poop

Picking up dog poop is the responsibility of every pet parent. Yet many pet parents neglect to clean up after their dogs, leaving feces behind at public places, such as dog parks and hiking trails, or even out of sight.

Here are six shocking facts, based on a revealing infographic by PoopBuddy, that should stir us into immediate action:

  1. 72.8 million dogs currently live in the United States.
  2. 40% of Americans do not pick up after their dogs, 44% would not pick up if asked, and 16% are lying.
  3. 1 gram of dog feces contains 23 million fecal bacteria, which can lead to diseases and viruses such as Campylobacteriosis, Coccidia, E.coli, Giardia, Parvo, and Salmonellosis. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, lethargy, vomiting, and swollen lymph nodes.
  4. Dog poop is the third leading cause of water pollution. Poop carries pathogens that seep into the soil after decomposition. Wastewater treatment is not designed to filter dog waste.
  5. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States, dog poop is as toxic to the environment as chemical and oil spills.
  6. The natural ecosystem can handle 2 dogs per square mile to maintain balance. However, there are 125 dogs per square mile in urban areas alone.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay

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