– Their gut bacteria: While all poo is potentially dangerous to human health, pet poo is especially full of harmful bacteria and sometimes parasites. The microbes in their waste make people and other dogs very sick.
– The time: In ideal conditions, pet waste takes weeks to break down. That time can extend to more than a year in cold climates. Most people applying fertilizer are looking for results before next year.
– Their food: Generally, livestock is fed a diet that is high in grains and fibers. Our pets are offered food that is mostly protein. This high-protein diet becomes poo with very few usable nutrients for plants.
For stormwater – pet waste left on the ground is a leading contributor to fecal coliforms (poo bacteria) in surface water. Rain falls on the poo, it gets a little soft, some of it flows away with the rain water into a storm drain. Storm drains are piped directly to lakes and streams so Fido’s poo is now in our surface water.
Acceptable poo management? Flush it. Double bag it and throw it away. Compost it if you want to (away from edible crops and waterways).
Whatever you do, always pick up poo.