Scoop the poop, damnit!

I've always had an aversion to scooping my dog's poop. I was fined by the condo association in Greenville, NC when she was a puppy (I wrote an obnoxious letter to the obnoxious condo association* claiming to have back problems) and I get fussed at by the neighboring vacation rental agency now that she is this close (imagine: John holding his thumb and index finger very close together) to cap T (as in t = 1, ..., T). I know it is wrong to leave her poop wherever she goes but I can't seem to make scooping the poop part of my daily routine.

At least I'm not alone (Dog excrement ...):

Almost half of North Carolina dog owners let the chips fall where they may and don't clean up after their animals, according to a statewide survey of how they handle their pets' waste.

More on my fav environmental problem (Google search www.env-econ.net for poop) on our one year anniversary:

"It's a big water-quality problem," said Chrystal Bartlett, the state's stormwater awareness and outreach coordinator. "It's also an aesthetic problem."

I know, I know.

The state's 1.8 million dogs deposit an estimated 681 tons of waste per day in the state, said Bartlett, who works for the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

That's a lot of poop.

Chris Gonzalez, owner of Poop Away, said he has hauled away as much as 27 gallons of waste from a single yard. He hopes to expand his business from individual homes to subdivisions and apartments.

I'd be more than happy to pay someone to clean my yard, but this is only a big city service, I'm sure.

The survey conducted last year by the state and East Carolina University's Center for Survey Research found that:

I used to get most of my data from ECU's SRC, although I hear that it is under new management.

• People in the 35-54 age group are least likely to scoop the poop.

That's me!

• Women are more likely than men to clean up after their dogs.

Right on!

• Those who never or rarely pick up what their dogs leave behind were tallied at 59 percent in rural areas, 49 percent in the suburbs and 47 percent in cities.

My guess is that there is no statistically significant difference here.

Animal and bird excrement rank among the top polluters of bodies of water, said Rachel Noble, a professor at UNC-Chapel Hill's Institute of Marine Sciences in Moorhead City. She said it's possible that someone could become ill as a result of swimming in a pond contaminated with dog manure, although it's unlikely.

Does this line remind anyone else of Bill Murray cleaning the pool of a Baby Ruth in Caddyshack? And Chevy Chase telling him that "the pond would be good for you."

I'll show my ignorance: haven't animals been leaving their poop for millions of years (or 6000 years if you are an Intelligent Design-ist).

Julie Packard, immediate past president of the N.C. Veterinary Medical Association, said contact with feces-borne parasites, such as hookworm and roundworm, can infect people.

She said larvae left in the environment are longer lasting than the excrement.

Yuck! And my kids play in my nasty yard.

Efforts to combat the problem are being made by the state, as well as private organizations and individuals.

Jennifer Burch, community manager at Wakefield Plantation and other neighborhoods, said PPM, a Research Triangle property management company, has begun installing dog waste stations with bags and a trash can in new neighborhoods. Dog-walkers don't always take the hint.

Charles Neely of southwest Raleigh has found his own way to stop the droppings.

Neely bought three signs with an icon showing a a dog caught in the act, with the negative icon of a red slash across a red circle. Two stand in his yard, with the third in a neighbor's.

"The signs did stop it. People respect the sign," he said. "They should respect the neighborhood."

Guilt. Shame.

*The condo association rules also disallowed play amongst more than 4 children in any common area.

Comments

[Tim Haab]

Growing up, our house backed up to a storm water run-off pseudo-creek. Are you saying it was wrong for us to throw our dog poop over the fence into the gulley? At least it wasn't in my backyard--literally.

[Dano]

I don't have the time to track down the study, but IIRC it was Nashville that found that its BOD and nitrates & phosphates in its surface waters were increased by ~40% from pet poop.

Oops. Sorry to increase your comment count. ;o)

Best,

D

[Pete]

In New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, where I used to live, horse poop (Amish exhaust we called it.) became quite a hot topic. Some on the town council wanted essentially diapers on the horses. I guess there is a negative externality when you step in it whether it is dog or horse droppings

Pete

[Mr. Nobody]

Your incentive to scoop will increase with the mobility/range of your girls. Under two years old, the range of youngest is somewhat limited but in a few months, both of your girls will be walking near or on doggie landmines. (Assuming the Wilma's, the dog, T is far enough away.)

[Mr. Nobody]

With the proper precautions, I compost it. It is never used on garden areas etc...

[Linda]

I have stepped in it at night, mowed over it, driven over it and kneeled in it, and I've had enough. It's highly inconsiderate to think an animal can just drop and plop as the need strikes without the owner taking care of the mess. It's essentially the same thing as throwing poop in your neighbor's yard. It's lazy and mean spirited.