DogExpress
But picking up after your pet feels gross – Isn’t it?
Even though it might seem a nasty task to do, don’t forget, you chose to be a pet parent. As a human parent, you will change the diapers of your baby, right? It’s your responsibility.
There are more than 22 million pets in India. Imagine if all pet owners become irresponsible, believing – ‘walking the dog outside means, no need to clean up after.‘
What would happen to parks, public places, society lawns then? No doubt, it will all turn into a stinking, disgusting place.
Such public nuisances can force the government and resident welfare associations to ban pets from using public places altogether. Your pets will pay the ultimate price for your negligent behavior, losing their freedom to enjoy parks and open spaces in residential areas.
The Animal Welfare Board of India gives your pet the right to use gardens or parks, the right to excrete, enter lifts/elevators, get vaccinations, and be free from any form of cruelty. But your unconcerned behavior can leave your pet vulnerable to cruelty and restrictions.
You can’t expect your dog to clean up after! Can You?
The Constitution of India (Article 51 G) does give you the right to live with or without an animal companion. But it does not permit you to cause pet nuisance like loud barking from dogs, pet litters/excreta, spread disease from unsterilized/unvaccinated pets, etc.
We asked around pet owners why they don’t pick up after the dog. Take a look at the reasons they gave –
- ‘Dog poop is biodegradable and will fertilize the ground.’
- ‘My dog poops in the high grass, off the walking trail. No one will step on it.’
- ‘It’s gross, yuck’!
- ‘No one does, why should I do.’
- ‘I don’t want to carry a bag for my entire walk.’
- ‘I forgot to carry a bag.’
- ‘My dog poops wherever it feels comfortable. How can I control that?’
Pets are like toddlers. They depend on you for everything. Even though your pet has the right to excrete, it is your civil responsibility to keep the environment clean as a pet owner.
Here Are Some Reasons Why You Should Pick Up The Poop
1. Dog Poop is Not a Fertiliser
It is toxic to the grass. Unlike cow manure, dog poop becomes acidic through its natural digestive processes, and its microbiome can destroy the grass underneath it. It also contains bacteria that could contaminate your vegetables.
2. An Environmental Pollutant
The dog poop contains two types of pollutants: nutrients and pathogens. The pathogens can get washed away in the water, affecting living things in the water, and further making people sick when they come in contact with it. The nutrients stimulate algae and other plant life growth, making the water unsuitable for recreational use.
3. It Carries Diseases
Dog poop contains parasites like cryptosporidium, toxocariasis, and toxoplasmosis. It also carries some of the other illnesses and infectious organisms –
- Roundworms
- Salmonella
- E. coli
- Giardia
- Leptospira
- Parvovirus
- Coliform bacteria
Even if your pet does not show any illness symptoms, poop is harmful to other pets and human beings. It can cause several health issues like severe diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, E. coli, giardia, and salmonella.
4. Unhygienic
What’s the point of living in a clean, gated community if the nauseating smells give you the feel of living in rural stables in India!
It’s unhygienic for others if you leave dog feces lying in parks, on public walkways, and on society lawns. It causes public inconvenience to use these places, and it becomes difficult for them to agree to coexist happily with your pet around.
5. It is the right thing to do
Have you ever cleaned a dog poop from the bottom of your shoe?
If you have, then you know how it can ruin someone’s day!
Just because others are not responsible pet parents, it’s not an excuse for you to not do it. Picking up after your dog not only makes you a responsible pet parent but a compassionate citizen who cares about the environment and public health.
Simple Ways to Clean Dog Poop
These are some of the basic pet-owner etiquettes you can imply in your life and be a responsible pet parent.
➔ Buy a pet scooper online or from any pet store. Carry it along while you take your dog out for a walk.
➔ Carry biodegradable plastic bags to scoop the poop. Don’t forget to tie it before throwing it in general bins. You can use reusable plastic grocery bags too.
➔ Use a reusable rake with a scooping pan in places closer to your home or toilet paper if you have access to a toilet.
➔ For messier deposits, use poop freeze sprays before scooping them.
➔ Spray commercial disinfectants that are not harmful to dogs but kill the bacteria and germs on the poop spot.
Conclusion:
It can be unpleasant and annoying to clean up, but you cannot neglect your responsibility when you choose to be a pet parent. Be a good citizen and scoop the poop of your dog.
Moreover, dogs are intelligent beings; they always find that one particular spot to do their business. As a pet parent, keep an eye on it and potty-train them.
in Chandigarh, India. 
