Clean Water, Healthy People, Happy Dogs – Let’s Do Our Doody!
Spread the word about cleaning up dog waste! The “Rule #1 is Pick Up #2” campaign is a part of the City of Roswell’s stormwater management plan to help improve the water quality in our streams.
The Scoop on Poop
Properly disposing of your dog’s waste is an integral part of responsible pet ownership. Dog waste is not only unsightly and smelly; it can also harm other pets, people, your lawn, and our watershed.
It Stinks for Our Streams and Our Health!
In Roswell, dog waste has had a negative impact on our local streams. The same streams that we use for recreation flow through our neighborhoods and feed our drinking water supply. In fact, three of Roswell’s streams (Hog Waller Creek, Willeo Creek, and Big Creek) are below state standards for bacteria levels, mostly due to dog waste. Over time, bacteria and harmful nutrients from pet waste are carried into our streams by rain and stormwater, polluting our ponds and streams. A high concentration of bacteria in streams increases the risk for illness and disease in both humans, pets, and wildlife.
It Stinks for Your Yard & Our Parks!
In addition to the negative health consequences, leaving dog waste on your lawn can actually harm it. Unlike cow manure that is processed and used as fertilizer, dog waste is high in nitrogen and phosphorus and can burn yellow spots in grass if left on a lawn. The same goes for other parts of your yard and passive parks with woods and open spaces; pet waste pollutes forests, meadows, and your landscaped gardens. For your safety and the safety of others, picking up your pet’s waste will allow you to walk freely in your yard without worry about stepping or slipping in it.
It’s the Law!
In the City of Roswell, it is the law to clean up after your dog in public areas (Code of Ordinances, Section 8.1.20, Removal of Excrement). This ordinance promotes safety and protects our watershed for all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our natural ecosystem can handle 2 dogs per square mile. In urban areas, there can be as many as 125 dogs per square mile. Yes, wild animals poop, but our environment is not equipped to process the added waste from the millions of pets we share our lives with.
Dog waste can take a year or more to fully break down, depending on climate, the dog's diet, and other factors. The chances of the waste decomposing and being absorbed by your lawn or other plants before rain water washes it into the nearest stream, creek, or river are slim. Even if it does decompose, the bacteria and parasites can linger in soil for several more years.
Dog waste can be composted as long as the temperature of the compost pile becomes hot enough to kill any parasites. Generally, you should not add dog waste to regular compost bins or piles. There are composters on the market that are specially designed to handle dog waste. It is not recommended that you use dog waste compost in food gardens unless you are absolutely sure that any parasites and bacteria have been killed.
Cat waste should never be composted due to the risk of toxoplasmosis.
Do not put any pet waste in municipal compost piles unless you are specifically directed to do so.
Every dog (as well as every human and every other warm-blooded animal) carries fecal coliform bacteria, which can become a health hazard in waterways, as well as an environmental contaminant.
Perhaps not worse, but single use plastics certainly have their own drawbacks.
You can opt for biodegradable bags, which are usually made from vegetable resins or maize flour. However, even biodegradable bags may not completely break down in a landfill, due to the lack of oxygen. They will, however, decompose in a dog-waste-only composting bin.
A great alternative to bags is newspaper. Newspaper naturally decomposes, and you're reusing something you would have thrown away (or recycled) anyway.
No. Our wastewater system is not designed to handle animal waste.
If your home has a septic tank, it is best not to flush unless the installer and manufacturer verify that the system can handle it.