Scoop the Poop 
 


Part of being a responsible dog owner is picking up your dog's poop. I know this sounds disgusting and surely that poop is bio-degradable. Actually, it's not. Thanks to Storm Water they have created the perfect explanation as to why it is so important to pick up after your dog.

Dog waste is raw sewage: Scoop it, bag it, and place it in the trash.

Mecklenburg County is home to more than 158,000 dogs.  They produce more than 52,000 pounds of dog waste every day.

Roundworms, E. coli, and Giardia are just a few of the many harmful microorganisms that can be transmitted from pet waste to humans. Some can last in your yard for as long as four years if not cleaned up. Children who play outside and adults who garden are at greatest risk of infection.

Pet waste is one of the causes of bacterial contamination of streams in Mecklenburg County. 

The solution is safe and easy. 1) Scoop the poop, 2) put it in a plastic bag, 3) place it in the trash, and 4) wash your hands.

We want to reduce our waste stream to landfills whenever possible. Currently there is no better alternative for disposing of pet waste.

There is nothing "natural" about 158,000 dogs concentrated in an area the size of Mecklenburg County. Native wildlife populations do not reach that density.

Burial, composting, waste digesters, and letting it lay in yards contaminates water and jeopardizes human and pet heath. Flushing is impractical for most people.

At some point in the future, commercial composting technology may be sufficient to treat pet waste, enabling curbside pickup along with yard waste.

Until then, landfilling is the best alternative for pet waste.

For more information and other ways to keep your water safe, please visit the Storm Water website.

News release - Scoop the Poop! 

Print a Scoop the Poop poster and spread the word!

Watch a news segment about this campaign on WBTV.