In Arlington County, you are required to cleanup after your dog anytime it poops in a public place or on another's property. Failure to do so not only leaves an unsightly and unhygienic mess for someone else to clean up or step in, but will also increase harmful bacteria levels in your nearby stream. In Arlington, this pollution finds its way to the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay.
In addition to these already good reasons for cleaning up after your pet, not cleaning up is punishable by a fine of up to $100 (Arlington County Code §2-5(b) and §2-22)!
Q. Why should I pick up after my dog when other animals (squirrels, birds, etc.) already use the "great outdoors" as their bathroom?
A. The poop from the large number of dogs in Arlington County cannot be adequately or naturally absorbed into the environment. This is not the case for the birds and squirrels that call Arlington County their home. Large, unnatural numbers of any animal in a small area can cause this problem -- not just dogs. Rural streams that are home to an unnaturally large number of deer have been found to have a high fecal coliform (a bacteria found in feces) level until the deer population is brought under control.
Q. Why is dog poop bad for streams?
A. There are two reasons. First, the bacteria in dog poop can cause serious diseases in humans, including cholera and dysentery, if contaminated water comes in contact with an open wound or is ingested. Second, bacteria requires oxygen in order to live and, as a result, will reduce the amount of oxygen in the water that is available for fish. Many species of fish cannot survive in streams that have reduced oxygen levels.
Q. Why is dog poop bad for the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay?
A. Slower moving water, such as that found in the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay, is susceptible to "algae blooms" responsible for large-scale fish kills. When it rains, fertilizer, dog poop and other nutrient rich material gets carried into the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. This sudden, unnatural surge of nutrients causes a rapid explosion of the algae population, called a "bloom". The bloom, which is near the water's surface, blocks sunlight that is needed by other aquatic life. Additionally, when the bloom can no longer be sustained, it decays in an environmentally cataclysmic event that sucks all of the oxygen out of the water, suffocating and killing any fish that live there.
Q. I don't walk my dog near a stream. How does my dog's poop get there?
A. Streams in Arlington County are fed by storm drains. The system of storm drains and underground pipes is, essentially, the replacement for the smaller streams that existed in your neighborhood efore your neighborhood was built. When it rains, poop and other pollutants (litter, oil, etc.) are carried into the storm drains, hrough pipes, into nearby streams.
Q. Why doesn't the sewage treatment plant clean this water before it reaches the Potomac River?
A. The Arlington County sewage treatment plant only processes waste water from indoor plumbing. The sewage treatment plant does not have the ability, or the capacity, to treat rain water, which is what the storm sewer system is designed to carry.
Q. Doesn't dog poop make good fertilizer?
A. Dog poop contains bacteria from your dog's digestive system that can be passed along to plants. A person can become ill by eating fruits or vegetables from a plant "fertilized" with dog poop. Don't use your dog's poop as fertilizer!
Q. What about the manure I buy at the hardware store? Doesn't this come from farm animals?
A. Yes, the garden fertilizer manure does come from other animals. However, these animals have a vegetarian diet and so do not have the harmful bacteria and worms in their digestive system that carnivorous animals, such as dogs, can have. Additionally, most store bought manure has been composted or processed in some other way to make it safer and easier to use as a fertilizer.
Q. Is it illegal not to pick up poop in my own yard?
A. There is no law that requires you to pick up the poop your pet leaves on your own property. However, during a rain storm, this poop can get washed out of your yard, down a storm sewer and find its way into your local stream. Additionally, the large quantity of nutrients in dog poop can "burn out" grass plants by overfeeding them, creating a spotty "minefield" look in yards where poop isn't scooped. Lastly, poop can also attract rats. Please clean up your yard regularly!
Q. What is the best way to get rid of my dog's poop?
A. Pick it up with a plastic bag, tie a knot in the bag and put it in a trash can. Do not throw the bag down a storm sewer. Throwing a bag of poop down a storm sewer will cause the poop to get into your nearby stream (when the bag eventually breaks) and the bag itself will end up as litter. You can use the plastic bag your newspaper comes in, or you can purchase special poop bags at most pet stores. You can also flush your dog's poop, without a bag, down the toilet. This will send the poop to the sewage treatment plant where it will be adequately treated before returning to the environment.
Q. I'm worried that I'll throw my dog's poop away but it will still end up in the environment. Where does the poop go after I throw it in the trash?
A. Residential trash in Arlington County goes to a waste-to-energy facility where it is incinerated. If you live in an apartment building or condominium that contracts out for trash collection, your trash may end up in a landfill. Landfills are required by law to completely contain all trash and treat any leachate (liquid seepage) before it escapes back into the environment.
Thanks for taking the time to learn more about the environmental impact of unscooped poop. This pamphlet was put together as a cooperative effort among organizations who encourage you to be a responsible dog owner and to treat the environment gently.
For more information on the rules and regulations governing dog ownership in Arlington County, contact the Animal Welfare League of Arlington at (703) 931-9241.
For information on environmental planning and programs in Arlington County, contact the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services, Environmental Planning Office, at (703) 228-4488.
To participate in environmental improvement efforts in Arlington County, contact Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE) at (703)-228-6427.
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