PET WASTE

The Problem with Poop
We all know that pet waste left unattended is just plain gross. But did you know that unscooped poop causes huge problems for waterways like rivers, lakes, and streams? The EPA classifies dog waste as non-point source pollution, along with herbicides and insecticides, oil, grease, and toxic chemicals. Not only is pet waste unsightly and smelly, but it contains an abundance of bacteria, parasites, worms, and more that wash into local waterways and pollute our natural resources. Pet waste can also make people, pets, and wildlife very sick by acting as a vector for disease transmission. It even attracts unwanted attention from pests.

E. coli and Other Dangers
One of the biggest risks associated with pet waste is E. coli bacteria. Dog poop can contain 23 million E. coli bacteria per gram of waste, and the average pile contains nearly 3 billion E. coli bacteria! Pet waste also hosts giardia, salmonella, parvo, worms, viruses, parasites, and more. These can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and other unpleasant symptoms. Even after solids are washed away, these unwanted guests can stick around on the ground for years!

Waste in the Water
If left unattended, pet waste and the associated contaminants are picked up by stormwater when it rains. Stormwater (and the pollutants it picks up along the way) is washed down storm drains, where it travels untreated and unfiltered into Greenville’s waterways. In areas that lack storm drains, stormwater flows directly to nearby waterways.

These harmful entities aren’t the only trouble pet waste brings to waterways. Pet waste that decomposes in water is a quadruple threat. Decomposing waste releases excess nutrients into the water, which cause algal blooms (eutrophication). Algae blooms can be toxic to humans, pets, and wildlife as well as make recreation, such as boating, swimming, or fishing, dangerous for humans. Algae can also be harmful because it feeds on and depletes oxygen in the water, meaning there is less oxygen available for the aquatic species that depend on it. Oxygen is also consumed during the decomposition of pet waste, thus removing even more oxygen from the water. Decomposing waste also releases ammonia, which damages the health of the aquatic system.

What to do About Doggy Doo

Grab it, bag it, trash it! Carry bags with you when you walk your dog or while you’re on poop patrol in your yard. Seal the waste in a bag, and throw it in the trash.
Don’t like getting up close and personal? Use a pooper scooper for a more hands-off approach.
Have a problem in your neighborhood or a public space? Request a Poop Fairy Yard Sign for your home or community.
If you'd like to go a step further, Pet Waste Stations may be the way to go. Take advantage of our Pet Waste Station Discount Program!
If you have issues with pet waste in an apartment community or a Homeowners Association, companies like PooPrints offers pet waste DNA testing. All animals in the community are tested and added to a registry. When pet waste is not picked up, the owner can be held responsible.
Commercial pet waste removal services are available. That’s right – for a small fee, someone will come to your house and scoop the poop for you!
Pet waste digesters and composters are available, so you can turn your pup’s “trash” into “treasure!” Visit Greenville County Animal Care at 328 Furman Hall Road to view a pet waste digester in action. Note: Pet waste digesters and composters are specially designed for pet waste. Never put pet waste in a regular compost pile. Click here for a guide to pet waste composting.

Still have questions? Click below for common misconceptions and frequently asked questions.

Pet Waste FAQ Doggie Data There Is No Poop Fairy What About Geese?

Pet Waste FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions and Common Misconceptions

You may find yourself wondering…

Isn’t it bad to put plastic bags full of poop in the landfill? Landfills are lined to prevent contaminants from leaching out into soil and groundwater. Plastic grocery bags make great pet waste bags, and it enables the bags to be repurposed. Biodegradable pet waste bags are also available for purchase.

Why do I need to pick it up if it’s in my own yard or the woods behind my house? Even if you don’t live near a body of water, E. coli bacteria and other contaminants are still picked up by rain water and carried into local waterways. Everybody lives in a watershed, and every watershed drains into local waterways before eventually traveling to the ocean.

Isn’t dog poop a natural fertilizer? No! A dog’s diet and gut composition are much different than those of manure producing animals, such as cows and chickens. The high levels of bacteria, parasites, worms, and other pests are unsafe to be used as fertilizer. Dog poop is also highly acidic, which means using dog poop as fertilizer will produce the exact opposite results than you had intended for your yard.

What about wild animals? Dog poop contains 23 million bacteria per gram, which is far more than wild animals. The natural environment hasevolved to handle wildlife that is naturally found in those areas but can only naturally support about 2 dogs per square mile. In Greenville County, there are more than 400 dogs per square mile. The accumulation of waste of all these dogs overloads and strains the natural system.

Can I compost pet waste? Yes! Special pet waste digesters and composters are available. Pet waste should never be added to a regular compost pile. Pet waste must steadily reach temperatures of 165 degrees or more to kill any unwanted residents and eliminate the risk of making humans and animals sick. Traditional compost piles do not generally reach these temperatures.

Doggie Data

There are lots of dogs in Greenville County…

In calendar year 2013

Over 100,000 pets were vaccinated
3,352 dogs were “adopted out” by the local Humane Society
1,064 dogs were given up to the county Animal Care shelter

– and –

This year…Over 4,000 dogs are expected to be “adopted out” by Greenville County Animal Care

According to the American Pet Products Association…

There are currently

78.2 million owned dogs in the United States
14 million dogs live in renter occupied housing
49.5% of U.S. households own at least one dog

Some interesting facts

An average dog generates 276 lbs of waste a year!
According to a recent CNN report, a medium-sized dog has twice the impact on the Earth than driving a luxury SUV 10,000 miles!
One gram of dog waste can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria. Dog waste can spread giardia and salmonella as well.
One pile of pet waste can take a year or more to fully breakdown.
The EPA classifies dog waste as non-point source pollution, along with herbicides and insecticides, oil, grease, and toxic chemicals.

There Is No Poop Fairy

The There Is No Poop Fairy campaign began in 2011 in an effort to encourage dog owners to clean up after their pets. The campaign focuses on the proper disposal of pet waste, reminding people to Grab It, Bag It, Toss It. Pet waste is one of the leading sources of E. coli pollution in the Reedy River and is a critical public health issue.

Kids and adults are invited to play as the Poop Fairy in a round of the Poopstacle Course, an exciting relay race that puts opponents head-to-head in a competition to see who can collect the most dog poop (don’t worry, it’s only plastic). If you’re lucky enough, you may get a glimpse of the “Not a Poop Fairy” hanging out around Greenville County (think 27 yards of pink glitter tulle).

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History
“There’s no such thing as the poop fairy” was the brainchild of retired Virginian-Pilot columnist Larry Maddry sometime around 2002. Jasper, an amiable, long departed male Labrador retriever, was the dog star in several aspects of a scoop the poop campaign that began at that time.

The campaign was an effort by the Virginia Beach SPCA, Lynnhaven River Now, the city of Virginia Beach, and the Hampton Roads District Planning Commission. Jasper’s owner, John Koehler owner of Koehler Books, was the creative designer behind the campaign in which Jasper was not only the poop fairy but was also the dog in a life ring eyeing a croaker leaping overhead and urging everyone to “Scoop the Poop and Save the Rivers.”

The more recent Poop Fairy campaign originated in 2011 in Jefferson County, Colorado. Boise, Idaho rolled out their version of the campaign with a new “fairy” in 2012. Greenville County revamped the character into a humorous fairy in 2011.

The Poop Fairy on the Move!
The GCSWCD Poop Fairy campaign has made it’s way to over 40 US and international municipalities!

For information regarding Poop Fairy licensing for your organization, please contact Lynn Pilewski at 864-467-4998 or lpilewski@greenvillecounty.org.

Yard Signs
Do you face the challenge of a not-so-polite neighbor? Post a friendly reminder in your yard with a “There Is No Poop Fairy” yard sign, available for free to Greenville County residents!

Informational Cards

Informational 4"x9" cards are available to hand out in your community. Just give us a call at 864-467-4998 for more information.

What About Geese?

Canada Geese like some of the same things that you do! They enjoy open, grassy areas and beautiful water features. These areas provide geese with food, shelter and space to raise their young. However, these large, wild animals can often become pests in neighborhoods.

What is the problem?

A single Canada Goose produces one to two pounds of droppings per day.
Geese do not live alone. Gaggles, or flocks, can contain up to 100 animals.
When rain washes goose feces into storm drains, ponds, lakes, or rivers, waters can become contaminated with bacteria.
Goose droppings raise phosphorus levels in our waterways.
Canada Geese keep other waterfowl from using their habitat.
Because gaggles are so large, Canada Geese often overgraze grasses and leave the land bare.
Under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it is illegal to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill or sell migratory birds without a permit. It is also illegal to disturb eggs of migratory birds.

What can Homeowners or Homeowners’ Associations do?

Plant shrubs, tall grasses, and native plants. Canada Geese like to graze in open areas of grass near water sources. By creating gardens of shrubs or tall grasses, you provide places for predators to hide, deterring the geese.
Apply a plant-based goose repellent to the lawn. The natural, plant-based goose repellents make geese sick, but do not harm the animals long-term. These repellents keep geese from returning once they learn that the grass in a particular place makes them sick. These repellents are water resistant and will not wash off in rainstorms, but will need to be replaced after grass is trimmed.
Fence in your pond. Canada Geese need access to food and water every 30 minutes. Installing a low fence, eliminates the animals’ access to food and water, so they will move to a more suitable habitat.
Monofilament (fishing wire) fences with stakes hidden in plants are a very effective deterrent.
Don’t feed the geese. The bread that humans sometimes feed geese is rich in nutrients that the geese cannot digest properly. Bread makes geese feces larger.
Set decoys on your lawn or in your pond. Decoys of swans can be effective psychological deterrents to the geese. Dead goose decoys can be effective as a deterrent for migratory geese.

Using a combination of these methods is more effective than using any one on its own. It is important to remember that harming Canada Geese or their eggs is in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. However, using non-harmful deterrents can eliminate the problem of geese and their feces on your property.

Stop the Drop! Rid your lawn of goose droppings to help keep the land and water clean.