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Dog Owners – Doo Your Doody!

by Mary Middleton

With spring just around the corner, many dog owners in Thurston County will start enjoying the nice weather with their favorite canine friends. All our dogs are eagerly awaiting a few much needed outings. When heading out the door with your pooch, don't forget to grab some bags to clean up after your pal. This task is important for more than aesthetic reasons, as no one likes to have their walk ruined by stepping in a pile. Keep in mind, pet waste can also wash into rivers, lakes, streams, and Puget Sound, contaminating the water and leading to closure of shellfish harvest beds and swimming beaches.

Although pet waste is often overlooked, it's a major contributor to fecal coliform bacteria contamination of our local waters. In 2000-2001, the Thurston County Department of Environmental Health conducted a study using microbial source tracking to identify sources of bacterial pollution in Henderson Inlet. This study identified more than 27 different sources of fecal pollution across the entire inlet. In Woodland Creek, fecal coliform from people and dogs were the main sources found. This study reflects failing septic systems and pet waste contributing to much of the water quality problems in south Henderson Inlet.

Dogs and water quality

Three major factors contribute to pet waste and water quality pollution.

First, dogs in urbanized environments are found in much higher densities that would normally be encountered in the wild. Thurston County Animal Services registered 12,970 dogs in 2008 and estimates that this number represents only 25 percent of the actual number of dogs residing in the county. The actual number is probably closer to 50,000, which is more than the human population of Olympia.

The second factor is dog waste contains a very high concentration of fecal coliform bacteria, almost twice as much as human waste. One gram of dog feces contains 23 million fecal coliform bacteria.

Finally, urbanized environments have extraordinarily efficient drainage networks that transport dog waste that has accumulated on sidewalks and lawns directly into storm drains that ultimately empty into Puget Sound. This combination creates a real threat to water quality in our area.

What is fecal coliform bacteria?

Fecal coliform bacteria are found in the intestines of all warm-blooded animals; most are not harmful and actually assist with our digestive process. However, when this bacteria is detected in lakes or marine waters, it indicates human and/or animal wastes and potentially disease-causing organisms. Pet waste is a known carrier of other harmful bacteria and parasites. Diseases that can be passed from pet waste to humans include: Salmonellosis, Campylobacteriosis, Toxocariasis (roundworm), Toxoplasmosis, and Giardia.

Impact on shellfish in the Puget Sound

Shellfish are like sieves, filtering food and other particles - including fecal bacteria and disease causing organisms - from the water around them. The fecal coliform bacteria don't harm shellfish, but they do make them temporarily unfit for human consumption. Even if you're not a shellfish aficionado, they are a "canary in a coal mine" indicating a deteriorating ecosystem.

Clean Ground, Clean Sound

Picking up after your pet is important not only while on walks, but at home as well. We recommend cleaning up your pet's waste at least once a week. Bagging it and placing it in the trash or flushing it down the toilet, if you're on a sewer system, are the most ideal disposal methods. Clean Ground, Clean Sound - next time you head out the door with your best friend, please remember to scoop the poop for a clean and healthy Puget Sound! Our shellfish will thank you for your efforts.

Mary Middleton is a research biologist at the Pacific Shellfish Institute in Olympia and is the coordinator of the Scoopy Doo pet waste outreach campaign funded by Thurston County.


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Updated 2015/01/07 21:14:22