aPaws.org - Scoopers in the News

There's no getting around it-dog poop is nasty, noxious stuff.

So when Fido assumes the humpback stance, who can really blame a dog owner for taking a furtive look around to see who's watching, and then pretending not to notice?

If an irate neighbor or citation-happy police officer doesn't spot your indiscretion, you might think there's no harm done. But there's more to worry about here than someone stepping in Fido's leavings.

Fido's small, you think-surely that one little "present" won't bother anyone. No one will know. It's good for the grass. The rain will wash it away. And some other dog left a big pile over there, so one more little one won't matter.

The excuses are endless. and, to some point, understandable. No one really wants to follow the dog around, plastic bag in hand, intently focused on its bodily functions.

Pet poop isn't just an unsightly lawn ornament. It's also a significant contributor to water pollution in our lakes and streams, and even in our drinking water.

Animal waste contains bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that can cause illness in humans. When levels of bacteria rise above safe levels, streams and lakes are closed to fishing and swimming to protect human health.

Fecal material can also affect the health of bodies of water-as organic material decays, nutrients are released that promote weed and algae growth, which can limit the amount of light that penetrates the water and the growth of aquatic vegetation. This, in turn, reduces the level of oxygen in the water and affects fish and other aquatic organisms.

In urban areas, pet waste left on streets and sidewalks can easily wash into storm drains. But even in rural and suburban areas, if waste from farm animals or family pets isn't picked up and contained, it can be washed into the water supply.

A small part of a big problem

There are a huge number of factors that play into water quality-essentially, every harmful material we use in our everyday lives is a potential pollutant if it makes its way into the water supply.

Compared with the widespread use of fertilizers and pesticides, or hazardous materials like motor oil, sewage, and industrial waste, a little dog poop washed down the storm drain doesn't seem like it should be a big issue, does it?

Until recently, that was the consensus. But with the development of new techniques that can help narrow down the sources of bacterial contamination in water sources, pet waste has emerged as a major contributor to the water pollution problem.

When water sources are evaluated for bacterial contamination, what's usually examined is the level of coliform bacteria-bacteria that are typically found in the digestive systems of warm-blooded animals. One particular type of these bacteria, fecal coliform bacteria, comes only from fecal material, so their presence in a body of water indicates that there has been contamination from either human or animal waste. (The insidious E. coli is one example of fecal coliform bacteria.)

Determining where, exactly, the bacteria come from is a more difficult task, however. In 1998, Mansour Samadpour, Ph.D., a microbiologist at the University of Washington, pioneered a method known as "microbial source tracking" to determine the source of bacterial contamination at a swimming beach on Lake Washington. Although local officials had suspected leaky toilets were causing the contamination, testing determined that dogs, cats, and birds were the real culprits.

The genetic testing can't determine precisely what percentage of contamination comes from any particular source, but can help researchers make estimates. And many times, rather than pointing a finger at faulty sewer systems or industrial waste, regular old animal waste is to blame.

One such example is Four Mile Run, an urban stream in northern Virginia with unhealthy levels of fecal coliform bacteria. Research conducted in 2000 determined that waterfowl contributed about 37 percent of the bacteria that could be matched to host animals. Dogs and humans together contributed 26 percent of the matched bacteria with raccoons following at 15 percent. Rats and deer were also contributors.

In California, scientists now suspect that a troubling drop in the state's population of sea otters might be due to a parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, that is present in cat feces-so dogs aren't the only culprits.

Pinpointing pets

Pets certainly aren't the only sources of fecal coliform bacteria in our waters. But when faced with an ailing stream or lake and examining methods for reducing the amount of bacteria present, pet waste stands out as one option that's relatively easy to address.

"In all, [pet waste] is not a major part," said David Bulova, director of environmental services at the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, who helped conduct the research at Four Mile Run. "But when you look at what else is in there, canines and humans are vying for some of the most controllable sources."

"We can't fix everything," admitted Brenda Cash, environmental project coordinator for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. "But this is something that everyone who has animals can do something about."

In Texas, officials have identified several water sources in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston where bacterial contamination is a problem. They also conducted a dog density study in Austin's Town Lake, and determined that the approximately 30,308 dogs living in the watershed produce about 500,000 pounds of waste every year.

Armed with such data, officials have been working on reducing the amount of pet waste that goes into the water supply-part of that effort has been directed toward educating pet owners about the problem.

Around San Antonio, billboards featuring a Shar Pei puppy urge pet owners: "Please Pick Up My Poop." Plastic bag dispensers have also been installed in city parks to help dog owners and walkers pick up after their pets.

Of those who rarely picked up after a pet in the Chesapeake Bay area survey, 44 percent said that fines, complaints, or improved sanitary collection/disposal methods would still not convince them.

Coupling education with cleanup efforts is imperative, said Ms. Cash. She recalled that when plastic bag dispensers that were placed around an Austin park several years ago, they failed to improve the pet waste problem until a sign was added that explained how many pounds of dog waste wash into the water supply every year.

"People didn't realize it was a water quality issue," she said.

Bad owners, bad!

Pet owners aren't always the epitome of civil responsibility, however. Sometimes it's not a matter of not knowing. it's simply a matter of not caring.

Ms. Cash estimates that about 70 percent of Texas residents in areas targeted by their "Don't Feed the Storm Drain" campaign have been very receptive. "There are people who don't care, and don't want to think about it," she said.

One 1999 study surveyed Chesapeake Bay area dog owners about their poop patrol tendencies. About half the respondents said they walked their dogs in public areas, and about 60 percent of that group said they picked up after their dogs. Men were less likely to do so than women.

Another 1996 study polled dog owners about why they do or don't pick up after their animals. Among the reasons cited for those who did do their "doody duty": it's the law, environmental reasons, hygiene/health reasons, neighborhood courtesy, and keeping the yard clean. Those who didn't pick up the poop reasoned that dog waste eventually goes away, it's too much work, or they weren't prepared to pick up after their dogs. Some simply had no reason or said "just because."

Of those who rarely picked up after a pet in the Chesapeake Bay area survey, 44 percent said that fines, complaints, or improved sanitary collection/disposal methods would still not convince them.

Anyone who's dealt with irresponsible pet-owning neighbors or laissez faire dog park goers knows how maddening it can be to deal with the poop problem.

Many apartment complex and townhouse community managers tell Debra Sullivan, owner of Rover's Leftovers, a poop-scooping service in Houston, Texas, that dog waste is one of the biggest problems they face. Non-pet owning residents complain, and maintenance people don't have time to pick up after others' pets, so communities employ services like Ms. Sullivan's.

"[Owners] don't want to do it," Ms. Sullivan said. "They can't believe someone else will do it."

Most people say they don't have time to pick up after their own dogs, she explained. Many of her clients have children and want to keep the yard clear for health reasons. But some of her more urban clients are aware of the environmental impact, and want the poop scooped for that reason.

Ms. Sullivan is also contracted to pick up at some parks in Houston-the baggie dispensers aren't always enough, she said, especially in public areas where children play.

But peer pressure can also be very effective in such areas, Ms. Cash. Many dog parks have gained stellar reputations for being kept pristine, thanks to the vigilant users who make sure that everyone follows the rules.

Ms. Cash believes that as more people are made aware of the impact that pet waste can have on the water supply, such pressure might not be necessary. "They have to have the right information to do the right thing," she said.