Think picking up your pet’s waste is unpleasant?  How about swimming in it?  Every time it rains, runoff from your lawn carries bacteria and other organisms from your pets’ waste into local streams – these streams eventually flow into the Chesapeake Bay.  The runoff also carries an overload of nutrients which can cause harmful algae blooms in local reservoirs.  Please dispose of pet waste properly by bagging it and throwing it away.  Don’t leave it in your yard or on the sidewalk.

What You Can Do

9 Always clean up after your pet.

9 Never dispose of pet waste down a storm drain.

9 Bag dog waste and place it in the trash.

9 Flush pet waste down the toilet.

9 Encourage other pet owners to be responsible.

Health Risks

 Children who play outside are at the highest risk of infection from bacteria and parasites found in pet waste. Flies can spread diseases found in pet waste. Dog waste contains E. coli bacteria, and can spread Campylobacteriosis, Salmonellosis, roundworms, tuberculosis, gastroenteritis, giardiasis, and  cryptosporidiosis. Simply picking up after your pet can significantly reduce these health risks to the entire community.

Environmental Damage

 Excess nutrients and organic matter in pet waste can cause algae blooms that block sunlight and kill underwater vegetation. Decaying pet waste uses up dissolved oxygen in the water that fish and other aquatic species rely on to live. By picking up after your pet, you can make a real contribution to improving our local water quality and the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

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