The Importance of Properly Handling Dog Waste

Having a dog as a pet is a wonderful experience. Dogs often love to greet their owners when they return home, and people and their canines enjoy spending time together. Welcoming a dog into the family, however, is also a responsibility. One of those responsibilities involves cleaning up after the dogs after they have eliminated outside. Some people will just walk away from the waste and leave it on the ground. Understanding the reasons against this practice is important.

Choose the Right Space

Even people who absolutely love dogs do not necessarily want the canines to eliminate on their lawns. Do act as a good neighbor and do not allow your dogs to relieve themselves on lawns of other people. Know what the local laws are for allowing your dog to go to the bathroom and abide by them. Following these practices helps to keep the community a safe and healthy place for others.

Remember Health Concerns

When you want to leave dog waste on the ground or allow your dog to go to the bathroom in an inappropriate spot, take into account the health concerns that arise by doing so. The waste could actually get into the water supply of the community if you leave it on the ground. Also, your dog might currently have an ailment that could contaminate other animals. Some animals will eat the droppings of others if they are not cleaned up, and this process could lead to illness or fatalities for others.

Avoid Penalties

Keeping the community clean and maintaining the health of the environment and residents should be your two main priorities when it comes to reasons for cleaning up after your dog. However, you also want to avoid the penalties that come with failure to clean up the waste. You might think that no one will see if you leave the droppings on the ground or in the grass, but people may be watching. Also, many homeowners have security cameras that could easily show that you are the one who didn’t clean up the mess. Penalties could include hefty fines or jail time. You should be aware of what the penalties are where you live as they can vary. In the event that you are traveling, read up on the laws at your destination spot.

Protect Yourself

You also don’t want to get the waste on your being. In fact, you might avoid picking up the droppings because you don’t want to touch the waste. With so many methods of modern waste removal, you do not have to do so. If you prefer to carry a small plastic bag with you, you can wrap the bag around your hand when you pick up the waste; you could even wear gloves. Another option is to carry a scooping tool. This type of tool could prove useful if you have difficulty bending over.

Clean the House

If you have small dogs, they may go to the bathroom on pads or in litter boxes that are made especially for dogs. Some owners use these methods when the weather is bad. For example, a tiny dog could have difficulty standing in many feet of snow. Doing so might even be impossible. In the event that you use one of these methods, make sure that you clean up the mess right away. Failure to do so is unsanitary. Additionally, the dogs might try to eat the waste, which is not a practice in favor of good health for them.

Remember the Kids

When you are walking the dogs in a park or even around the block, you may just want to leave the waste on the ground. You might think that one dropping doesn’t matter, but think about the children who play in the area. They may pick up the waste not knowing what it is. By leaving your dog’s waste on the ground, you are creating a potentially dangerous and unsanitary condition for children.

Practice Common Courtesy

Imagine that you walked out of your home one day to find that a dog’s waste had been left on the lawn or near the curb. This situation would likely prove unpleasant for any homeowner. Picking up waste when your dog goes to the bathroom is also about practicing common courtesy and being a good member of the community.

Prepare for Walks

Sometimes, you might have left the waste on the ground because you forgot to bring the necessary supplies with you. Make sure that you have the items ready to go. For example, if you use plastic bags to pick up the droppings, keep them in a place that is easy to access before you go outside.

If no one is around when you’re walking your dogs, you might just want to leave the waste on the ground. You might be in a rush, or you might not want to go back to the house to grab a bag. However, picking up the waste is your responsibility.