Pet waste is a huge problem in our city. Not only is it unlawful to leave your pet’s waste in our city parks, the poop is a nuisance and can carry viruses and bacteria that are harmful to humans and animals. In addition to the risk of diseases, the organic matter and nutrients in pet waste make the water in our creeks and streams dirty.
Scooping the Poop is easy!
- At home: get a pooper scooper and bin just for pet waste and empty only into your trash
- At the park: use provided trash bins and plastic bags or take your own bags so you can pick up and dispose of your pet's waste
- On trails: "pack it out" means pet waste too!
Five Reasons to Scoop the Poop
- No one likes running into pet waste in our neighborhoods, urban areas, parks, trails, or open spaces! Cleaning up your pet’s waste is part of being a responsible pet owner.
- Pet waste doesn't make good fertilizer. It isn't good for grass or plants like other animal waste, because it's too acidic. That's due to our pet’s high protein diets. Pet waste can actually poison grass and plants, including those in your yard.
- Pet waste can contain dangerous pathogens, viruses, bacteria and parasites like Salmonella, Coccidia, Roundworms, Tapeworms, Parvo, Giardia and E. coli. which can make people and other dogs very sick. Children playing outside and adults who garden are most at risk.
- Compost piles don't get hot enough to kill the disease-causing organisms in pet waste. You should never add pet waste to a compost pile.
- Stormwater and snowmelt wash pet waste into our waterways. Pet waste is high in nitrogen and phosphorus. Too much of these nutrients can cause algae to grow too fast. That can result in
- decreased oxygen in the water killing fish and other animals living in the water
- the death of underwater grasses and plants
- polluted habitat for ducks, crabs, and other animals
- water that is murky, green, smelly, and even unusable for swimming, boating, or fishing
Additional Resources
- Scoop the Poop: Proper Disposal of Pet Waste brochure (pdf)
- Information from the Environmental Protection Agency.
- Excess nutrient information from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Excess nutrient information from EPA