PLEASE Pick Up After Your Dog
It’s great to have a dog! Many of us in South Park do (I have two!) As a dog owner you have the responsibility to protect, shelter, feed, and love your dog and (one of the most important responsibilities to your neighbors and the environment) to pick up after it. I’ve been noticing lately that more and more of us are ignoring this responsibility.
There are many reasons picking up after your dog is super important:
1. Despite what many believe, dog poop does not readily break down. It takes almost a year for the natural break down of this material. When it is hosed off the sidewalk into the storm drains it eventually ends up in rivers, lakes, and the ocean. According to USA Today, unhealthy levels of nasty bacteria in streams and seawater have been traced back to Fido. Lifescience.com estimates America’s over 83 million pet dogs produce about 10.6 million pounds of poop every year! Dog waste can contain lots of bacteria and parasites including E.coli, Salmonella, plus Coronavirus, Giardiasis, Parvovirus, Cryptosporidiosis, and nasty Ring Worm. These can infect other dogs…and you. These unpleasant bugs can infect soil for years.
2. Dog waste is not fertilizer. Dogs consume high protein diets that are exceptionally high in nitrogen and phosphates that actually burns plant matter. There is no secondary purpose for dog poop.
3. It is common courtesy to pick up after your dog - good neighborhood relations require it. Scientists estimate the ecosystem can handle about two dogs per square mile. I’d guess here in South Park there must be over 500 dogs per square mile! It is extremely important, therefore, to pay attention to this issue if we are to continue to have good neighborhood relations and stay healthy!
If you are a dog owner, these are critical components of good dog (and neighbor) husbandry:
1. Please ALWAYS pick up after your dog. There is no excuse for ignoring this responsibility. We have plenty of poop bag dispensers and designated areas in the neighborhood. Always carry poop bags with you when you walk your dog.
2. Please keep your dogs out of planted areas. Carelessness here results in thousands of dollars of damage and maintenance on these areas that are meant for all of us to enjoy.
3. The old NYC adage “Please Curb Your Dog” applies here in LA also. Do not let your dog urinate on buildings. Direct Fido instead toward trees and posts at the curb. Dog urine is highly acidic and is causing damage to neighborhood buildings.
4. Use only certified biodegradable dog waste bags. This will go a long way to reducing plastics in landfills.
Here in South Park, we have been enjoying the benefits of high per capita dog ownership. Sometimes I think we have as many dogs in South Park as people, and I love this! Let’s keep and increase our efforts to control the negative effects!
By John Nilsson