Clean up pet waste: It's the law
I received an e-mail from a reader who owns the local franchise of DoodyCalls. (Who knew there was a business out there that will come by and pick up your pet's waste? But more on that later.) He suggested that I discuss the topic of pet waste from the perspective of human health and environmental protection.
Then I received a letter from the Keep Charleston Beautiful initiative requesting help from local veterinarians and businesses to help spread the word that picking up your pet's waste is not only the right thing to do, it's the law.
The Charleston Environmental Control Ordinance, Article 2, Sec. 26-2(f) states that it is unlawful for anyone to allow their dog or cat to "discharge its excreta" on the pet owner's property or anywhere else unless that person immediately removes the waste from the public or private property. Violation of this ordinance could carry a fine of up to $1,092.
So now that I have been prompted and am supported by city law, I will get on my soap box about pet waste. I used to live where I shared parking and dog-walking space with my neighbors. It drove me crazy that my neighbors would leave their dog's waste in the parking lot, where inevitably, at least once a week, I would step in it on my way to the car. Grrrrr. Even after I learned that, in some countries, it is considered good luck to step in dog poop, I did not appreciate the experience one iota.
If you aren't at risk of stepping in dog poop, why should you care? Aside from the law, there are both health and environmental reasons to pick up dog or cat waste and place it in a specific type of composting container or a garbage can, where it will be taken away to a dump where runoff is controlled.
Pet waste is carried into the storm drains, which flow, untreated, into our fragile rivers and marshes. The federal Environmental Protection Agency explains that this waste provides nutrients for weeds and algae that limit the amount of light that can penetrate the water's surface and choke off oxygen supplies for fish and other marine life. Consider that dogs and cats in the Charleston area produce more than 10,000 pounds of waste daily.
Pet excreta also can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites that could infect other domestic pets as well as wildlife and humans. Roundworms are deposited in infected animal's feces, where they become infective to children who play in the sand or dirt. If a child ingests an infective egg, the larvae could migrate to their eyes and cause blindness. This is why we deworm puppies and kittens every two to three weeks when they are young, as young animals are the No. 1 carrier of this parasite.
Toxoplasmosis results from a parasite carried in cat waste. If a woman in her first trimester of pregnancy ingests an infective organism, it could cause birth defects in the baby. Most woman are infected from their gardens or from food that has been contaminated on the farm.
Contrary to what you might think, pet feces does not make good fertilizer. It actually burns and discolors your lawn, so don't use that excuse to leave your pet's waste lying around. So what can you do to help?
First, when you are walking your dog, take along a plastic baggie to pick up the feces immediately. Deposit it in a public waste receptacle or in your own garbage can. Second, pick up waste from your yard. This is where DoodyCalls comes in. It supplies technicians who come out to your house to do this for you. If you live in an apartment or condo, talk to your renter's or homeowner's association and have it hire a company such as DoodyCalls that will help keep the grounds free of pet waste.
Check out doodycalls.com for information, but you don't need a professional to do the right thing. Just realize that pet waste is dangerous to you and the environment, and clean it up.
Dr. Katherine A. Saenger owns Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital and Boarding Kennel and is a former board member of the John Ancrum SPCA. Send questions to her at vetsaenger@bellsouth.net, or visit www.beesferry.com.
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