PET WASTES

Dogs may be “man’s best friend,” but we also have to make sure they’re friends of our health and environment, too! The same goes for all pets, of course.

Here’s the problem: When your dog (or cat or rabbit or other pet) poops on a lawn or sidewalk, it can pollute nearby waterways and harm water quality and public health.

Here’s how it happens. When you don’t clean up after your pet, the waste doesn’t just disappear. Rainfall washes the waste into the sewer system, which empties it into local rivers and lakes.

Fecal contamination can make water unsafe to drink and unfit to swim in. The health problems associated with fecal contamination of our waters include ear infections, dysentery, typhoid fever, gastroenteritis and hepatitis A.

Managing Pet Wastes Responsibly

It doesn’t take much effort to make your pet more environmentally friendly.  Here are a few useful tips:

• Use a "pooper-scooper" and dispose of pet waste in the garbage or toilet. Toilets are preferable because they take pet feces into the sewage treatment system.


• Obey the "poop and scoop" bylaw if there is one in your municipality.


• Look for flushable kitty litter - some types are fully biodegradable and can be safely used with septic systems.


• Put pet wastes into green bins for composting - some wet waste programs can accept pet waste and litter for recycling.