Dog Poop Should the Shoe be on the Other er Foot?
Pets and poop are just a fact of life for pet parents the world over! Unfortunately, your sweet puppy or loveable hound has bodily processes that must occur to live, which, aside from eating tasty treats, also means pooping! Of course, this can get you a little down in the 'dumps,' as it were, especially if the thought of clearing up after your hound in public leaves you a little embarrassed.
However, with dog poop laws now in force in most major American cities, ensuring you're on the right side of the dog poop bags police will ultimately save your pocket in the long run.
Dog Poop The Bottom Line!
- It's not a fertilizer
Most pet parents assume that dog poo is a fertilizer, but in reality, it contains harmful pathogens and parasites, which is why clearing up after your hound is an essential pet parent duty. In fact, evidence suggests that leaving dog poo behind for others (humans or hounds) to come into contact with is one of the primary ways to contract bacteria, internal parasites, and hookworms. Suddenly, avoiding the scoop got much more serious in the health department, and it's possibly the most crucial reason for carrying dog poop bags!
- It's harmful to the environment
Inappropriately discarded dog poop is exposed to the elements (rain), which washes it into rivers, where It pollutes the water and causes algae and weeds to grow prolifically. Who wants to drink polluted water? Or go swimming, boating, or fishing in a river or water source clogged with weeds and algae?
- It smells bad
Let's be honest; there's nothing more offensive than splodges of dog poo along a pretty woodland trail or, worse, stuck to the bottom of your new trainers. Yuck!
American Poop Scoop Law
In 1978 New York City was the first major US city to introduce the Poop Scooper Law, since then many US cities have had the good 'scents' to follow suit!
According to the law, any person who controls or owns a hound must pick up the doodies left by that hound on any sidewalk, street, gutter, or public area.
This means when you are out and about with your loveable pooch, you must carry some handy dog poop bags to clear up their mess. But your responsibility doesn't end there.
Once the poop has been scooped into pet poop bags, it should be disposed of in a 'legal manner' – which is just US code for 'put it in an appropriate bin' or 'take it home.' Here are some great quality biodegradable poop bags you might consider.
Failure to Scoop Zee Poop
It might be tempting to disregard the law, or perhaps you aren't aware of the rules in your area; either way, not scooping your hound's poop could cost you a fair few dimes!
If caught leaving your dog's doo-doo behind, you can be issued with a poop scoop ticket which depending on which city you happen to be doodling through, could cost you anything from $250 up to an eye-watering $2,000! Can you imagine how many pet poop bags you could buy with that amount of money?
Life's Poo-Short for Poop Fines
Okay, so we know that scooping poop is a pet parents' legal obligation. But legalities aside, practising responsible pet poop-scooping habits keeps you, fellow pet parents, and the environment stink-free and healthy. Furthermore, using quality biodegradable poop bags ensures you are doing your pet parent bit for the environment, and if you purchase a snazzy dog poop bag holder, it can easily attach to this fashionable Utility Fanny Pack. So now you can scoop poop in style; no more poo-barrasment for you!
