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Give A Bark!
 Chatfield Hollow State Park pet waste project
Pet waste management outreach materials and other resources
Did you know that your dog’s poop can be a health risk and source of
water pollution? This spring, the District developed and initiated a pet
waste education and outreach campaign focused on our state parks in
collaboration with the CT Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).The purpose of the project is to build
awareness of the health and environmental risks of dog waste. The project is funded by the DEP through a US
EPA Clean Water Act Section 319 grant.
Why is picking up after my dog important? It’s a health risk!
When rain or snow melt runs over the
land it can carry the pet waste that has accumulated, along with associated
bacteria and possible parasites and viruses, to our waterways where these
microorganisms may pose a human health risk.
This is an example of nonpoint source pollution, or pollution that is carried by storm water runoff into waterways,
impairing water quality. Leaving dog waste on the ground in your neighborhood
will risk contamination of your local stream, lake, beach or even drinking
water supply. At Chatfield
Hollow State Park
in the Town of Killingworth,
bacteria contamination means closure of the swimming beach.
Pet waste contains a large number
of fecal coliform bacteria that may indicate the presence of Giardia,
roundworms, Salmonella, parvovirus and many other microorganisms that can be
harmful to human health. Leaving the pet
waste anywhere on the ground may expose children, adults and other pets to
diseases. These microorganisms can also
make water unsafe for drinking and swimming.
You may wonder: why is it a risk to
not pick up after a single dog? Consider
this…there are about 1,600 dogs in the Town of Killingworth
alone. The Food and Drug Administration
estimates that, on average, one dog will produce ¾ lb of waste a day. That means there are approximately 1,200 lbs
of dog waste produced per day in just one Connecticut
town!
Pet waste is
more than bacterial contamination. It’s
an environmental risk!
Dog
waste can have a serious impact on water quality. When fecal bacteria is found in waterways,
researchers are able to use a DNA-fingerprinting technique (microbial source
tracking), to see whose waste it was from.
Often, it is found that dogs are a predominant source species (www.stormwatercenter.net). Dog waste also adds nitrogen and phosphorus
to the water. In large amounts, these nutrients encourage the runaway growth of
algae and aquatic weeds, which can impact the health and quality of our waters.
What
can you do? It’s
simple!
Pet waste pollution
control begins with you:
BRING IT! Always bring a plastic bag, or two, when you
walk your dog! You can carry bags in
your pocket, tie them to your leash or belt loop, or use a doggy bag holder
that fits on to your leash.
BAG IT! Use the bag as a glove to scoop the waste,
then turn the bag inside out and seal.
You can keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you or wash your
hands with soap and water when you are done bagging.
DISPOSE OF IT! Place the bag in a trash can or flush it, unbagged,
down a toilet. Never dispose of pet
waste in a storm drain as it will then flow directly, untreated, to your local
waterway. Pet waste may also be
carefully buried at least 5” deep, away from vegetable gardens or waterways, or
even composted.
To learn more about the importance of scooping your
dog’s waste, in state parks as well as in your community, please visit the
following links:
Give a Bark for a Clean State Park!
Chatfield Hollow State Park gets new dog waste disposal stations.
Does your dog Bark for a Clean State Park?
Support the campaign and send in a photo of your responsible dog to
include on the District’s website! Visit
Give a Bark for a Clean State Park for more
information.
Pet waste
nonpoint source pollution and similar campaigns throughout the web.
More about Nonpoint Source Pollution
Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) occurs when accumulated pollutants from residential, commercial and
agricultural lands are carried by stormwater and snowmelt runoff, and deposited
in our waterways where it is a significant threat to the quality of our
wetlands, ponds, streams, lakes, rivers and estuaries. Common NPS pollutants are
construction sites, roads, parking lots, roofs, lawns, farms and failing septic
systems. In addition to pet waste, lawn fertilizers, motor oil, driveway sand and salt, and
soapy water from washing cars in driveways are common NPS pollutants that end up in waterways.
Find dog-friendly places and parks to
visit in Connecticut
CT dog-friendly travel places (leave CRCCD site)
CT dog parks from Ecoanimal.com (leave CRCCD site)
CT dog parks from Doggeek.com (leave CRCCD site)
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