Good Dog, Good Owner
You can be a responsible pet owner and protect our waters.
Your dog brings a lot of joy to your life. Enjoying your four-legged friend doesn’t need to come at the price of clean water. We can have both. But to make it happen, we all need to think a little differently.
More to Waste than Meets the Eye
Pet waste is not only an unpleasant find on a yard or sidewalk, it carries bacteria that causes beach closings in the summer.
Campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis are often the cause of the “24-hour bug”. They’re transferred through fecal material from an infected person or animal.
Toxoplasmosis is carried by a single-cell parasite that lives in infected animal feces (typically cats). In pregnant women, it can pass through the umbilical cord to the unborn fetus, causing serious abnormalities.
Waste Disposal
Prevent bacteria in our streams by carrying small plastic bags when walking your dog. Collect droppings, tie a knot in the bag, and dispose of it properly. Do not throw pet waste down the sewer.
At home, pick up pet waste often. Even waste in your backyard can pollute local waterways. You can flush the waste down the toilet, put it in your trash can (be sure to check your local ordinances first!) or bury it in your yard.
Stormwater is rain or snowmelt and water from things people do, like overwatering the lawn or discharging pool water into the street drain. We can choose products carefully and shape our lawns and pavement so water sinks in. When we do, runoff is reduced, pollutants filter out and streams and groundwater are protected.
Untreated runoff is the biggest threat to our nation’s water quality, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Let’s make the small, important changes that will reduce that threat and improve water quality and our lives!