Forty percent of dog owners don’t pick up after their dogs, so why should you?
The average dog produces ¾ pound a poop a day X 83 million dogs in America = 10.6 million tons of dog crap each year.
Watch my speech on this topic that won me second place at the Daniel Wright Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest.
As an environmental consultant specializing in testing water quality of lakes and streams, dog poop (or any warm-blooded animal poop for that matter—soiled baby diapers, goose droppings, etc.) that washes into a lake or stream is a major contaminant.
Dog poop can cause:
- Elevated bacteria levels in lakes, ponds, and streams, causing stomach upset if ingested. Public swimming beaches are tested for E. coli bacteria during the swimming season, but testing is infrequent, spotty, and the results inconsistent.
- One poopy baby diaper can close a swimming beach.
- Bacteria levels escalate after a heavy rain then drop within a day as they follow a boom and bust cycle. Don’t go swimming within 24 hours of a heavy storm. The current laboratory methods don’t have the test results until a day later. In the meantime, your family could be swimming in contaminated water.
- Nutrients from dog droppings can increase algae growth in lakes.
- Parasites like giardia and cryptosporidium. Giardia causes intestinal cramping and severe explosive diarrhea for several WEEKS.
Dog poop on your lawn can cause:
- Parasites such as worms that can get your family sick by walking barefoot in the grass where your dog went.
- Some diseases can transfer from animals to people; these include Salmonellosis, hookworms, ringworms, as well as infections from Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter, and Giardia.
If people only knew how bad dog poop is for the environment and for their families, many more would comply.
Education is critical.
So will you pick up your dog’s poop?
I want to print this (x 100) and hand it to all the disrespectful dog owners I see not picking up. Manners don’t seem to matter. Perhaps they will take notice of the bigger picture.
Great post! I can’t stand when people don’t pick up after their dogs! If I am going to lug around mastiff poop on a two mile walk, then they can darn well pick up after their small dog. I will say, now that Sulley and Junior are raw fed, they hardly poop at all anymore which is wonderful. I loved your speech! I took a Dale Carnegie class many years ago and had to stand up an give speeches like this. Such great experience!!
Great speech! We always pick up our dog poop, but always see piles while on our walks. I can’t understand why people think that is okay. Keep spreading the word of the importance!
OOh I need you to tell this to the fool with the vary large dog that dumped a pile of ‘poop’ in our cul-de-sac! Thank you for the storm information I had no idea and will take a lot of care if we have a summer storm!
Well done Sandra, you are amazing in the video!
Wow this was very informative. First, you did a great job speaking. You look like it comes naturally. Second, great information. I had no idea 40% of owners did not pick up their dog’s poop. I never owned a dog, just cats so I can appreciate the fact they poop in a box and cover their own mess. Great job and thanks for sharing.
Great video, it is both scary and disgusting when you learn these facts!! I can’t believe 40% of people don’t scoop the poop! When I see it around my neighborhood it makes me so mad. I didn’t even know Giardia could be contracted by humans. OMG, if I actually saw anyone let their dog poop on my lawn and walk away, I would Lose It!! This is such an important message, I’m sharing this post everywhere.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
I do not understand why people don’t pick up after their dog! On top of being environmentally unfriendly, it gives a bad name to other dog owners – even the ones like me that pick up each and every time!