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1. Why is dog poop so harmful?

It's full of germs

Dog poop is raw sewage that can spread disease. It can contain disease-causing organisms, including roundworms, whipworms, tapeworms, hookworms, fecal coliform, Giardia, Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacteriosis, Cyclospora, and Parvovirus. Even when dog poop looks like it's no longer there, many of these pathogens can survive for days, weeks, months, or sometimes even years in soil and water waiting for a host. 

It can make you sick

People and pets can come into contact with pathogens found in dog poop while playing in grass, walking barefoot, playing sports, gardening, swimming, fishing, or boating. Children are most susceptible, since they often play in the dirt and put things in their mouths or eyes. Infections from pet waste bacteria often cause fever, muscle aches, headache, vomiting, and diarrhea in humans.

It can make other dogs sick

Puppies are especially susceptible to Parvovirus, which they can contract if they make contact with an infected dog's feces.  

It affects recreation and water quality

High levels of fecal bacteria can cause closures in commercial shellfish beds and spread illnesses to pets and wildlife. In addition, the nitrogen and phosphorous found in dog poop can create harmful algal blooms in lakes that turn the water green and cloudy, use up dissolved oxygen, kill fish and other marine life, and make the water unsafe for recreation.

2. What makes dog poop different from wild animal poop (coyotes, birds, rodents, racoons, etc.)?

There are a number of factors that make dog poop different from wild animal poop.

Control and impact

Dog poop is different from wild animal poop mainly because humans are able (and obligated) to manage its environmental impact. In contrast, wild animal poop is naturally integrated into the ecosystem. 

Diet differences

Commercial dog food often contains added nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. When dog poop enters water, these nutrients can cause issues such as algae blooms, which reduce oxygen levels and harm fish. Wild animal poop, on the other hand, is usually beneficial. Since wild animals eat natural foods, their waste helps recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem, supporting plant and wildlife health. 

Bacteria and parasites

Dog poop contains lots of bacteria and parasites that are harmful to humans and wildlife. Some of the bacteria and parasites can linger for months…and some for several years! Dogs have evolved to be able to handle most of these germs, but people and other animals can get very sick from them. 

Breakdown rate 

Dog poop breaks down more slowly than wild animal poop due to its different composition. This slow decomposition means harmful bacteria and parasites can persist longer, potentially contaminating groundwater or washing into streams and rivers during heavy rain.

3. What should I do with my dog's waste?

When you're outside on a walk and your dog poops, it's your responsibility to do three things:

1. Bring extra bags.

2. Scoop and bag every poop.

3. Put the bag of dog poop in the trash bin. Never put pet waste in your organics bin or compost pile.

And when your pet poops in your own yard, don't let it linger. Pick up dog poop right away if it's going to rain (or is already raining), and pick it up from your entire yard at least once a week regardless of the weather forecast. Dog poop can contain disease-causing organisms, including roundworms, whipworms, tapeworms, hookworms, fecal coliform, Giardia, Salmonella, E. coli, Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, and Parvovirus. Even when it looks like it has washed away, many pathogens found in pet waste can survive for days, weeks, months, or sometimes even years in soil and water waiting for a host.

4. Is it safe to compost my dog's poop or put it in my yard waste bin?

No.

Composting doesn't remove the hazardous pathogens from dog poop, which can contaminate the rest of your compost pile. 

Most home compost piles don't reach temperatures that are hot enough to kill the hazardous pathogens in dog poop. Killing E. coli and Salmonella requires extended exposure at 140-degree temperatures. Giardia can survive temperature extremes, chlorination, and drying. Cryptosporidium, Leptospira, Salmonella, and E. coli can all survive for months in feces or soil, and roundworms can survive for up to four years in soil.

Most commercial compost processors also don't reach a temperature high enough to kill the hazardous pathogens, and they don't accept dog poop because it can contaminate the rest of the composted material. This means you should keep dog poop out of yard waste bins, too. If your solid waste provider discovers pet waste in your organics bin, they may leave your bin full and unemptied with a tag letting you know why they didn't accept the contents. 

The best place for pet waste is in the trash.

5. If my dog poop bag says it's biodegradable, why can't I add it to my home compost pile or my organics/yard waste bin?

Although the bag you're using may be labeled as biodegradable or compostable, dog poop itself is a health hazard and should not be left to biodegrade on its own. 

• Don't put bags of dog poop in your organics/yard waste bin.

• Don't leave bags of dog poop on the ground.

• Do always put bags of dog poop in the trash.

The trash is the safest place to prevent contamination from dog poop.

Biodegradable bags seem like a an eco-friendly option, but in a landfill, they often don't break down the way they're supposed to. The biodegradation process will only happen successfully in an oxygen-filled (aerobic) environment. In most cases, landfills are oxygen-free (anaerobic) environments, meaning that the layers and layers of trash that are piled up in the contained space have no room for air to pass through. So what would happen to the biodegradable bag? If anything, any biodegradable plastics that would break apart in the landfill will actually emit methane, a greenhouse gas that is 23 times more potent than CO2.

Rather than using biodegradable dog poop bag, consider using bags that contain recycled content.

6. Can I bury dog poop in the ground?

Dog poop is a point source of pollution that can spell big trouble for soil and water quality, and even human health if it's buried too close to vegetable gardens or waterways. And burying it doesn't kill the hazardous pathogens found in dog poop, such as Giardia, Salmonella, and E. coli, and lesser known bacteria like Ancylostoma, Cryptosporidium, and Toxocara canis. When it gets washed into a waterway, dog poop adds excess nitrogen and phosphorous, which can cause algae blooms that use up the oxygen fish and aquatic life need to survive.  

The safest place for dog poop is in the landfill.

7. Can I flush dog poop down the toilet?

If you are connected to a municipal sewer system, you may be able to flush dog poop down the toilet, as long as it's in reasonable amounts. Just make sure you're only flushing the dog poop, not the bag. Flushing the bag down your toilet is likely to clog your system and lead to costly repairs.

If you are on a septic system, it's not a good idea to flush dog poop down your toilet because it could exceed the capacity of your septic system.

The contents of dog poop, like grass, ash, and hair, can also interfere with septic system functions and clog your drain field. In addition, your system is not designed to handle the hazardous organisms found in dog poop.

8. Why do we send dog poop to the landfill?

Because it's the safest place for dog poop.

Although it's not ideal to add more waste to our landfills, they are the only systems currently designed to safely handle dog poop. In a landfill, the harmful organisms found in dog poop are safely contained and monitored. If a safer disposal method for dog poop comes along in the future, we will update our best management practices for dog poop. 

9. Does City of Bothell provide pet waste stations for neighborhoods?

No, the City does not provide or maintain pet waste stations or free bags to neighborhoods, business parks, or other private developments. 

The City used to offer pet waste stations and a starter supply of pet waste bags to neighborhoods and/or Homeowners Associations who signed an agreement to maintain the stations, but the program was discontinued because too many stations were abandoned and were no longer being maintained per the contract's requirements.

We do provide pet waste stations in City of Bothell parks, which are installed and maintained by our Parks staff. If your neighborhood or business park is interested in offering the same kind of pet waste stations and bags that are in City parks, you can find them at BagSpot.com.

10. Is it OK if my dog poops in or near a body of water?

Dog poop contaminates water.

To protect aquatic ecosystems and water quality, please keep your dog(s) a safe distance away from streams, rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water when they go to the bathroom, and always be sure to pick up after your dog if it poops. This helps prevent surface water from being contaminated by bacteria, nutrients, and other pollutants that are found in pet waste. Dog poop contains nitrogen and phosphorus, which can lead to algal blooms, making the water unsafe for recreational activities.

11. Does Bothell have a scooping law for dog poop?

Yes. 

Like most other cities in the Puget Sound area, Bothell has a municipal code that prohibits leaving dog poop on public property or on another person's private property. Violators may be subject to a $250 fine per incident when witnessed by the City's Animal Control Officer. 

Dog owners are also responsible for ensuring that they have, in their immediate possession, an appropriately sized bag to remove their pet's waste when accompanying an animal on public property or on private property of another. It's a good idea to bring an extra bag in case your dog needs to do its business more than once on a walk.

Read about the City's scooping requirements in Bothell Municipal Code 6.16.011 and 8.60.240.