Common Courtesy, Legal Responsibility

By Shannon M. Pecora, MA

Stream Valley Veterinary Hospital

            After breakfast or dinner, your family members may not be fighting with one another for the chance to walk the dog.  This may not be due to fatigue, laziness, or hectic scheduling; it is quite likely that no one wants to be responsible for picking up the…“waste.”  Because this is one of the most unpleasant aspects of dog ownership, you may be tempted to get up before sunrise or wait until after sunset so that you can leave your dog’s waste in the grass under cover of darkness.  It sounds like a convenient solution, but this practice would make you not only a bad neighbor, but also a criminal.

            Sure, the feces may wash away during the next rain, but while the physical “evidence” may be gone, the bacteria and potential parasites remain.  These germs are then spread throughout the park, common area, or yard, ultimately into ground water, run-off streams, and pretty much anywhere and everywhere throughout your neighborhood.  This includes where your own dog walks and sniffs, meaning that your pet is exposed to whatever you or your neighbors have left behind.  And of course, your kids play in those areas, too.  County leash and scoop laws are in place for public safety and protection; a large part of the goal is to keep bacteria and parasites from finding their way into your home.

            There are pet waste stations in many communities, but you can also buy rolls of bags or save your newspaper and grocery bags for doggie duty (pun intended).  Your hand should be reasonably protected by this layer of plastic—but still be sure to wash your hands when you get home—so picking up pet waste is really only gross for a few seconds.  Leaving pet waste in your community, however, is perpetually gross, hazardous, and illegal!