What to Do With Doggy Doo?
My very rockin’ sister-in-law sent me a link to these biodegradable doggy-poo bags made from non-genetically-modified corn. She was looking into composting and mentioned that she might try to compost her puppies’ No. 2s.
I recalled a San Francisco Chronicle story I read about the pet-waste problem, pulling it up again from the bowels of the electronic ether:
American dogs and cats produce 10 million tons of waste a year, and no one knows where it’s going,” said Will Brinton, a scientist in Mount Vernon, Maine, and one of the world’s leading authorities on waste reduction and composting. “That’s really beginning to be looked at as a nightmare.”
Dog and cat waste usually ends up in a landfill, where it’s mummified for generations in plastic bags. If it’s not tossed out, it’s left where it falls and dissolves into the ground, where it flows untreated into the water table or the bay.
It was the article’s next line that really caught my attention this time: “Or it’s scooped up with yard waste and tossed into the compost bin—which is a no-no, because animal waste is full of pathogens.”
The story continues:
There is some debate among pet owners and environmental groups about tossing pet waste into backyard compost bins. Most scientists warn against it because the compost does not heat up enough to kill the pathogens such as E. coli—which could then be transmitted to people if the compost is used in a vegetable garden.
Other Web sites I looked up echoed that sentiment. What’s an eco-conscious dog lover to do?
If you have room in your backyard, one site suggests, you can bury an old garbage can in the ground—away from your vegetable garden, I’d imagine—for dumping Fido’s prodigious output, allowing the waste to biodegrade and “flow into the subsoil,” and eschewing using it in your garden, i.e., giving the poop a one-way ticket.
From PlanTea.com:
- Take and old garbage can and drill a dozen or so holes in the side.
- Cut out the bottom (A keyhole saw works great for this.)
- Dig a hole in the ground, deep enough for the garbage can.
- Toss some rocks or gravel in the hole for drainage and position the garbage can so it’s a little higher than the soil level.
- Place the lid on top (you might want to paint it with something like Dog Waste Composter.)
- When you scoop some poop, put it in the hole and sprinkle in some septic starter (available at hardware stores) and add some water.
According to the www.cityfarmer.org web site, “Within 48 hours, the septic tank starter, (which is non-caustic and promotes natural bacterial growth) will have begun its work and you can add more dog doo. You can then begin to add it daily. This waste biodegrades and flows into the subsoil.”
Another option: flushable doggy bags (yes, really!) Made of polyvinyl alcohol film, the bags dissolve in water, leaving polyvinyl and glycerol byproducts, along with the bag contents, to biodegrade in about 30 days.
Note: Pregnant women should not handle cat or dog doo because of the parasites, bacteria, and viruses they could potentially carry, including Campylobacterosis, a bacteria that causes gastrointestinal illness in us opposable-thumb folk. You can expect I’ll milk that little nugget of info for all it’s worth if I ever hold within me the Miracle of Life.
Related article:
1. Much Ado About Poo
Brianne said,
September 22, 2006 at 7:23 pm
I thought about doing my rats poo but it contains the dreaded Salmonella. My cat is freakishly protective of his cat box.
meranie said,
September 22, 2006 at 9:36 pm
Are you serious?! My dogs always go in the ivy at home, you know, the natural bathroom for the animals. The cat doo goes down the toilet…
So… I think flushable is the best option. Geez.
And, if you ever hold the miracle of life, DO IT! I’m planning on passing along this nugget of information right now, because I am the one who is anal about Little Maker’s box.
meowgirl said,
September 23, 2006 at 8:40 pm
interesting, some unexpected info. to mull over. speaking of poo, have you read about Sheep Poo Paper (they have a cute logo and everything)? link:
http://www.creativepaperwales.co.uk/index.asp
KathyB said,
September 24, 2006 at 12:42 pm
“You can expect I’ll milk that little nugget of info for all it’s worth if I ever hold within me the Miracle of Life.”
Oh you know it.
lanea said,
September 25, 2006 at 8:28 am
Dog waste composting is the shiz-nit. Pun intended. I just need to get the cat’s involved in that scheme, which is troublesome because I don’t really like handling waste. But who does. If only the cats could be trusted to let themselves out to use the facilities but come right back in without getting lost or killing songbirds . . .
The Worsted Witch » The New York City Compost Project said,
November 28, 2006 at 3:26 pm
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