Pet Waste
Why Stoop and Scoop?
There has long been a common misconception that waste from your dog or cat can’t possibly matter in the greater scheme of all the pollutants entering our waterways. But consider that each gram of feces from your dog contains 23 million fecal coliform colonies and there are 3000 registered dogs in Bellingham, Blaine and Sumas, plus all the dogs in the county, plus all those that aren’t even registered, and it adds up quickly! Now add all the cats into the picture, contributing nearly 8 million colonies per gram and the numbers escalate even more.
Recently, more and more facts are surfacing to convince us that it is time to be more responsible with our pets’ waste. Additionally, of all the things that are being looked at to help prevent stormwater pollution, this one can be easily managed and will produce immediate results.
Dog and cat waste contain an array of bacteria and microorganisms that have the potential to cause disease and contribute to nutrient loading in our creeks and Lake Whatcom and as a result also tax the wastewater treatment systems. The following information will give you some basic information and tools about cleaning up after your pet in the Lake Whatcom watershed.
