Is pet waste a fertilizer?

 

Unless your pooch is on a veggie kick, it's highly unlikely. Most dog diets are protein packed, consisting mostly of beef, chicken and pork products. This creates a high acidic, pathogen filled waste that deteriorates soil quality and can pose a serious health risk to humans, pets, and wildlife.

 

Can dog feces affect human health?

 

To say the least, yes. Dog waste contains harmful fecal coliform bacteria and a variety of pathogens that can be passed to humans, including toxocariasis, campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, and E.coli to name a few. Children are most vulnerable to infection due to more lawn exposure while playing.

 

How is my pet affecting local water quality?

 

In addition to harmful pathogens, pet waste contains nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) that are harmful to local waterways. Improperly disposed pet waste can be collected by storm water runoff and deposited into our local streams and rivers. Accumulated concentrations of nutrients create blooms of algae, which eventually decompose and consume vital dissolved oxygen. This promotes a stressful environment for aquatic life and in severe cases results in complete dead zones.