Why Dog Waste Is a Problem

Dog waste is raw sewage, the same category as human waste. It contains bacteria, viruses, and parasites including roundworms, Giardia, Salmonella, E. coli, Cryptosporidium, and Parvovirus. These pathogens can survive in soil for weeks or years, long after the waste has visually disappeared.

For people who use wheelchairs, dog waste on sidewalks is a real hygiene and health hazard. Wheels roll through waste and transfer bacteria directly to hands. People with visual impairments face similar risks. Clean sidewalks are a basic accessibility issue that doesn't get talked about enough.

Kids play on sidewalks and in parks, often close to the ground. Dog feces carry parasites like Toxocara canis that can cause serious illness in children, including vision loss and neurological damage. Pathogens can also be tracked indoors on shoes and paws.

Even if you don't live near water, dog waste left on the ground ends up in it. Rainwater carries it into storm drains and straight into local waterways. The impact:

• Increases nitrogen, making water cloudy, green, and smelly
• Releases bacteria and viruses that can cause beach closures
• Harms fish, turtles, and other aquatic wildlife
• Reduces oxygen levels that aquatic ecosystems depend on

Never throw dog waste into a storm drain or leave it in the street. It goes directly into waterways with no treatment.

Dog waste is not natural fertilizer. The waste may look like it's breaking down, but the pathogens stick around. Composting or burying doesn't eliminate them either. Bag it and trash it — that's the only safe option.