Why You Should Clean Up After Dogs Outdoors, Even if They Aren't Your Own

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

The other day, I smelled a foul odor as the kids came in from outside. I immediately knew the scent. Having two dogs in the house, at first I thought one of them had an accident. But upon further inspection, I realized one of the kids brought it in on their shoes. Ah, the fun of living in a large apartment complex.

The thing is, when you leave your pet's business laying around outdoors, it is more than just nasty. It's a health hazard to you and everyone around you. Toxins, parasites, and more can all be found in a dog's feces. It spreads common diseases such as giardia, Ecoli, salmonella, roundworms, and more (www.drsfostersmith.com/Articles/clean_up_waste.cfm).

What can you do to help? Well, of course you can clean up after your own dog. But you can also spread the word to neighbors. Some people may not realize how their pet's feces can impact people and the environment. Dog feces can even contaminate water to a point where beaches need to be closed and the water isn't safe (usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/science/2002-06-07-dog-usat.htm).

I have a neighbor with many health issues who owns a dog. She is not able to clean up after her dog and I understand this. Therefore, when her dog makes a mess, I clean that up as well, as if it came from my own dog. I have dogs as well, so to me, it's only a small added amount of cleaning up on top of what I already do.

It would be great if more of our neighbors were that helpful because unfortunately, even with dog cleanup stations all over the complex, people without valid reasons still leave dog feces everywhere. Thankfully, none of us caught anything (that I know of) from the dog feces the other day. However, that doesn't mean we won't next time.

Do yourself, your dog, your neighbors, and the world a favor and clean up after your dog.

And for heaven's sakes people, if you're going to have a pet, know what responsibilities come with that BEFORE making the adoption.

Photo Credit: Lyn Lomasi

*I originally published this here elsewhere

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