Whether you’re on a daily walk, a visit to the park or in your own backyard, picking up after your pooch is more than just a common courtesy; it’s our duty as good Southwest Florida citizens. Pet owners might pick up their pet’s waste because it’s the right thing to do, but they may not recognize that doing so helps the environment.
Every day, pet waste is improperly disposed of in Lee County. The concern isn’t just stepping in it; it’s the environmental impact that pet waste has in our community. Canine feces and residue left behind can easily wash into ponds, ditches, canals, rivers and eventually the Gulf. Even droppings left in residential backyards miles from water can leach unwanted nutrients that end up in waterways after heavy rainfall. It’s a significant, yet preventable source of water pollution.
High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus content found in pet waste can feed algae, potentially encouraging noxious algae blooms that sap oxygen from our waters and kill the creatures living in it. As we’ve seen in recent years, the presence of blue-green algae and red tide impact tourism and our region’s economy. It affects recreational activities like swimming, boating and fishing, as well as homeowners and restauranteurs whose waterfront property loses its luster when they’re unable to enjoy the waterfront views.
A half pound of canine feces can contain 5 billion fecal coliform bacteria and can spread parasites such as hookworms, tapeworms and ringworms to other pets and wild animals. It can also spread parvovirus, a highly contagious and dangerous disease in dogs that can be deadly, especially for puppies.
In Lee County, nearly 50 public parks welcome well-behaved, leashed dogs. Five of those county dog parks allow unleashed dogs to run free. Additionally, Dog Beach between Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach is a dedicated place for dogs to play and swim.
Lee County’s pet-friendly parks, retail centers and residential neighborhoods often provide complimentary pet waste bags for pet owners to safely dispose of pet waste.
Keeping a plastic bag or two in your pocket is a great idea to help do your part to keep our environment in balance and have a positive impact on the health and well-being of our neighborhoods, waterbodies and wildlife. It is our social and environmental responsibility to pick up after our pets.
To learn more about protecting our water quality, please visit FertilizeSmart.com/pet-waste-info.html.
