Nothing is grosser than going out for an afternoon walk and feeling the slippery squish of dog poop underfoot. The next half hour of your day is probably spent hosing down your favourite shoes and complaining to whoever will hear you out.
You may not know but dog waste can do a lot of damage to the environment around us and other animals, including native wildlife.
Parasites and diseases
Dog waste can carry parasites and transmit diseases to other dogs such as kennel cough, parvo and tapeworm. These diseases can be life threatening to our furry friends and can cause prolonged health conditions. Removing the poop reduces these risks!
People of all ages can be put in danger too; hookworm and roundworms are a risk to humans that could lead to serious conditions that require surgery.
Pollution
If dog waste is left on nature strips or in parks, rainwater can wash it into stormwater drains which can travel into our waterways. Bacteria contamination from dog’s faeces in our water such as the Parramatta River can make beaches and rivers unsafe for swimming.
Keep our neighbourhood clean
It’s up to all of us to play a part in keeping the City of Ryde clean and to have pride in our neighbourhoods and parks. Doing the right thing for ourselves, our friends and family can help keep our community safe and beautiful.
It only takes a couple of minutes to keep our environment sanitary for everyone. These tips will make it easier to clean up after your dog:
- Double check that you have enough doggie bags before you leave the house; sometimes you’ll need more than one.
- Make sure to wash your hands after handling dog waste; stop the spread of diseases and parasites as much as possible.
- Don’t be shy; if you’ve run out of bags on a walk ask your fellow dog walkers for a spare. You could even make a friend!
Until our dogs learn how to pick up after themselves it’s our responsibility to keep them safe and our neighbourhood clean.
