The way I see it, dog poop is a paw-dicament. I have always said if you have a dog, it is your job to “scoop the poop.” If it is not your “cup of tea” sign up with a pet scooper service, have someone walk your dog or maybe don’t have a 4-legged that poops outdoors. Do not bring shame on your 4-legged by failing to “scoop” in your backyard, on walks, and in parks. If you live in an apartment or condominium, poop pick-up is not negotiable. Don’t make this a problem by ignoring your job.

Dog poop is a health hazard, an issue of water quality; dog poop is not fertilizer. Forty percent of pet parents do not “stoop to scoop,” more men than women do not pick it up.

Dog droppings are one of the leading causes of E. coli pollution. A gram of dog poop has over 20,000,000 E. coli colonies in it. You may not think a modest mound of poop could be a dilemma but the combined effect of thousands of dogs (and yes, cats who eliminate outdoors) in a metro area can create havoc to the soil and water supply. Unlike wastewater from homes, storm water is typically untreated. When pet parents fall short and do not “stoop to scoop” the poop and disease-causing bacteria mixes with storm water runoff and meanders into waterways; that is a big deal when you think about clean water. Source: Doggone Green book.

“Runoff flows over surfaces, including streets, parking lots, yards, construction sites, farms, and forests picking up fertilizers, loose soil (sediment), leaves, gravel, animal waste, leaking motor oil, antifreeze, grease, metals, pathogens (bacteria and viruses), chemicals like pesticides, herbicides and trash. Source: EPA

I predicated a while back that DNA analysis of dog poop would come to the U.S. Several years ago Germans thought DNA testing, that is matching “poop to pooch” would solve a nasty crisis, too much dog poop on public property.

The plan, gather waste samples from all dogs at the time of licensure. Build a registry of the findings. Sanitation workers would cart around feces-sample kits submitting poop to a lab where doo-to-dog is matched, offenders are identified and fined. The city stood to turn a profit; the problem would vanish or would it?

In May of 2010, a lavish condominium in Baltimore thought this might be a good idea as well. Have all canines’ tested, examine unauthorized poop and fine the offender. In the end, the plan was pooh-poohed.

As a dog, I embrace a more paw-active approach, a “stoop to scoop” dog poo removal. I also believe we can fetch a more advanced and tech-savvy solution for throw away. Here is where I need your help.

I do not want my poop going to the landfill, tons of poop piles, too many plastic bags that sit in the landfill for years.If you are trashing the poop, I suggest compostable bags made without petroleum products (biomass instead) and made in the USA.

What to do with it, how about composting the stuff and selling it as doggone good compost for shrubs and bushes around the yard, currently the mission of Envirowagg.comin Denver, CO. You can learn vermiculture, worm composting, get your own doggie septic-style waste disposal system or do it the natural way, bury it and let nature do its job. The EPA advocates flushing your dog’s waste.