Spring is here. I love the warm sun, singing birds, blooming flowers, walking and hiking—it's so wonderful! Except for Dog Poop Hill. If one starts looking at the flowers while hiking up the hill, guess what you're going to step in? One does have the aroma of poop roasting in the sun and the buzz of flies laying eggs on it, as a warning to watch one's step, but poop is just not as pleasurable to view. And, after the poop decomposes, the germs continue living in the soil.
Why do local dog walkers think their dog's poop doesn't stink and isn't dirty? When in the grooves of hiking shoes and tracked into a home, one risks contact with harmful viruses and parasites that are often found in dog waste. The germs in dog feces can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, dehydration, fever, cough, vision loss or birth defects if a pregnant woman becomes infected. Check your shoes carefully.
Are these dog owners just arrogant, ignorant or plain lazy?
Animal waste contaminates ground water, streams and lakes; that's why we don't we drink unfiltered water out of our streams. The "nutrients" released from such waste, also promote algae growth, which can kill or harm fish.
We all know that fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, gas, oil, feed lots, mine tailings, etc. pollute our ground water. And guess what? So does dog poop.
Fecal coliform, fecal strep bacteria and worms can also all be found in canine excrement.
There are thousands of pet dogs in Blaine County; all one needs to do is carry a plastic bag, clean up with it and dispose of it in the garbage can at home.
Gloria Carlton
Hailey
