Ensure they pick up poo, bag it and bin it
Constantly a point of contention and annoyance, the abandonment of dog poo is so often driving people mad. Yet so many people still seem to leave their dog’s poo where it was deposited.
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So, is it really a problem?
Is it natural?
Is it only an issue if someone might stand in it?
The truth is that dog poo can cause illness and disease affecting other dogs, people and grazing animals. It’s also illegal.
it is an offence for the owner/ person in charge of a dog not to clear up after their dog if it has left faeces on publicly accessible land and you could be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of up to £100. If the case goes to court this could cost you or the person in charge of the animal up to £1,000. The law also states that being unaware a dog has fouled or not having a suitable bag is not a reasonable excuse. You can read The Dog Fouling Act here.
Dog poo can contain microorganisms that cause illness such as Salmonella, E. coli, Giardia and internal parasites. Dog poo can contain antibiotic-resistant bacteria, meaning people can develop bacterial infections through contact with dog faeces that are then difficult to treat.
Dog poo left on agricultural land can lead to livestock been exposed to harmful bacteria and pathogens. Some of these can result in death and miscarriage of cattle and sheep, if they don’t die the lasting effects include blindness and neurological issues. In 2021 a farmer reported his issues with Neopsora, causing his cattle to miscarry and calves born with neurological issues. Sarcocystis is a parasite that doesn’t often cause symptoms in dogs but neurological issues and abortion in sheep.
Dog faeces and associated bacteria, viruses and parasites can make their way into our rivers after heavy rainfall or through avoidance of disposal. The Environment Agency have been using DNA analysis to help them determine where bacteria in water have come from, and independent research into the public health issues of dog poo has been completed.
Research into livestock and the risks of dog poo has also been completed, two such pieces of research are:
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Dogs do not feed directly from the land where they defecate, this is because we buy their food from suppliers rather than them foraging and hunting as natural omnivores would. This means that regardless of what you choose to feed your dog, their urine and faeces add nutrients to the ground. The addition of nitrogen and phosphorous in such high volumes is upsetting the nutrient balance that keeps our soils healthy. Research has found that this is having a negative impact on biodiversity. This also means that 'stick and flick' method of dealing with dog poo sadly does not avoid the issue of leaving your dog’s poo behind. Add an abandoned poo bag to the equation and you also see the addition of plastics to the environment.
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Cumbria Wildlife Trust have a really nice Proud to Pick Up info graphic, you can check it out here.
