Eco Poop(!)

Even the most ecologically minded pet owners face the question: what to do with their pet’s waste?

It’s just a fact of life, and a sobering one when you consider that doggie poop alone in the US on a yearly basis would fill a football field up to 800 feet high!  Pet waste that is not picked up washes into waterways and groundwater, where it releases contaminants, affecting the local habitat.

You can use biodegradable bags, like those on a roll from Biobagusa.com ($5.49 for 40 bags) and that’s a good start compared to plastic bags that take a biodegradable product and enclose it in something that will remain for hundreds of years in a landfill.  The negative to these is that they require oxygen exposure to breakdown, something they may or may not get in a landfill.

Another alternative is to flush waste in the toilet into your septic or sewer system, using flushable bags made from polyvinyl alcohol.  These bags dissolve in water.  Flusheze bags are available from PetHabitats.com ($12.95 for 60 bags).  If your pets drink out of your toilet, like my Spinone does, just make sure your toilet is always flushed so the water is fresh.

Committed environmentalists can always invest in a home septic system made specifically for poop.  There are several companies that make these compost systems purposely designed for pet waste, which use enzymes and good bacteria to break down waste.  This compost is not to be used in gardens growing edibles due to the risk of disease.  Doggie Dooley and StayWell Eco Clean are two brands available on many different web sites.  They range in price from approximately $50-85, they are designed to last for years.

Of course, if  you believe in leaving things to the professional, you can always contact Pet Butler.  For anywhere from $7.50 to 16.50 a visit, depending on how many pets and how many times a month you have them visit, they will scoop your poop for you! I kid you not.  They call themselves Professional Pet Waste Removers and their website claims that to date that they have “over 57 million Poops Scooped”.  With many franchise outposts across the US, they’ve been in business for over 20 years.  Of course, there are none in Eco Lassie’s neck of the woods~

What if you’re the ultimate do-it-yourself-er? Ohioan Kim Palmer shares her green option to create your own personal pet disposal system that will break down waste to a harmless liquid:

1. Take an old garbage can and drill a dozen holes in the side.

2. Cut out the bottom.

3. Dig a hole in the ground deep enough for the can.

4. Toss rocks or gravel into the hole for drainage and position the can on top so it’s slightly higher than the ground.

5. Deposit waste and sprinkle in septic starter and water.  Voila!

This can be used for dog poops or used clay cat litter.  Plant a shrub in front of your ‘bin’ and no one will know your secret!  I may have to try this one at our house.

By the way, pet urine is sterile!  Thank goodness, because Eco Lassie can’t even begin to think about how to collect that!