1. You Value Your Family’s Health
Young children playing outside in the dirt are susceptible to picking up the parasites and bacteria in waste material. Younger children often put fingers or toys in their mouths making them especially prone to infection.
2. You Value Your Pets’ Health
The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) advises pet waste can spread parasites such as tapeworm, hookworm, ringworm and bacteria E. coli and Salmonella. Parasite eggs can remain active on lawns for months or even years if waste is allowed to remain. Allowing pets to walk in a dirty lawn can easily lead to repeat infections.
3. Cleaner Lawn Makes a Fatter Wallet
Infections are not only not fun for the sick person, their also not fun the person paying the bills! As dog owners know all too well, trips to the veterinarian or doctor are neither fun nor cheap. Americans spend an average of $2,084 annually per dog, and unhealthy dogs can cost quite a bit more. Healthy lawn = healthy pooch = healthy wallet.
4. A Green Lawn is Nice, Too
Dog poop is not fertilizer! Health reasons aside, the protein-rich diets in dog food leads to acidic droppings which will leave burn marks in grass. Droppings will quickly turn a dark green grass to a pale yellow. Left long enough, a spot of grass can be killed entirely by unattended waste.
5. To Protect DC’s Rivers
Even if your house is far inland, it contributes to the health of the Potomac River. All of Fairfax, Prince William, Montgomery and the District is part of the river’s water basin. Rainwater washes pet waste from lawns and sidewalks into storm drains which eventually leads to the Potomac. The historic “Nation’s River” is still today a dominating part of our landscape, and deserves to be protected. A once heavily polluted river, efforts are being made to improve its water quality. Be part of that change!
6. You’re a Good Neighbor
Neighbor relations can quickly deteriorate from just a little carelessness. Have you ever stepped in your dog’s poo? How your neighbor’s dog’s poo? Keep up your family’s proud name with good neighborly action. Bring dog poo bags with you on walks and scoop the yard regularly.
7. You’re a Good Citizen
In 1999, Fairfax County enacted the “Pooper Scooper Law” making mandatory our cleaning up after our pets. Its reads:
Dog poop, pet waste – Fairfax County Code Section 41-1-2, Section 108-5-2 andSection 41-2-6“The owner or custodian of any dog shall be responsible for removal of excreta
deposited by such dog on the property of another, including public areas (“pooper
scooper” regulation).”
Now, I don’t exactly know what “excreta” is, but it sounds like something we shouldn’t have in our lawns, sidewalks, or waterways. Fairfax County’s website indicates no one has yet been prosecuted under this law, but I wouldn’t want to be the first!
