SCOOP THAT POOP!
It’s all about responsibility – As good dog owners, we should set a good example by being courteous and law abiding by leashing, licensing and picking up after our dogs.
There is no excuse for not picking up after your dog. It is not fertilizer, it does not break down quickly, it pollutes our water and it causes harm to humans and the environment. Neglecting to pick up after your dog could mean that someone else picks it up…under their shoes. Respect your community and clean up after your dog to keep Mississauga safe and enjoyable for everyone.
DID YOU KNOW?
Dog waste is not recyclable. Place it in a waste container designated for dog waste or take it home and dispose of it responsibly.
Dog waste is not fertilizer – it does not break down naturally. Dog waste takes months to break down, is highly acidic and can harm the soil, killing grass and plants.
Dog waste contains E-coli bacteria and other parasites that are harmful to humans and animals. Diseases can be transmitted by contact with dog waste. Dog waste contaminates beaches and other public spaces, posing serious health hazards to children playing nearby and to other people and animals.
Dog waste can contaminate the water supply. When it rains, dog waste soaks into groundwater and into storm sewers which flow to nearby streams and watersheds, affecting our drinking water and making swimming areas unsafe.
Dog waste can attract wildlife. Dog waste can attract coyotes into residential neighbourhoods and parks, which can lead to pet conflicts and nuisance behaviour.
It’s the law. You can be fined for not picking up after your dog. If you think no one is watching, remember that almost everyone has a camera (including those on smartphones). If you observe someone in your neighbourhood not picking up after their pet please report it by contacting 905-615-3200 extension 2425.
As per the Animal Care and Control By-law 0098-04, as amended, Part VII, Section 25) subsection 1) Every owner of an animal shall remove forthwith any excrement left by the animal on any property including highways. Failing to do so carries a maximum penalty of $100,000.
KNOW WHERE IT GOES!
The average dog produces 274 lbs of pet waste per year, with roughly 60,000 dogs in Mississauga -that’s 16.4 million lbs of pet waste per year!
Dog waste contains high levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, E-coli bacteria and other parasites that are harmful to humans, other animals and the environment. Pet waste left on the ground washes into the stormwater system and pollutes our water too!
Picking up pet waste protects our community health and environment! Clean up after your dog and keep Mississauga safe and enjoyable for everyone.
SCOOP YOUR POOP
Pet waste is carried by rain into drainage ditches and catch basins into our local creeks and rivers and is one of the PRIMARY sources of WATER POLLUTION
Keep our water clean and pick up your pet waste
Learn more here: https://www.mississauga.ca/services-and-programs/home-and-yard/stormwater/stormwater-and-your-home/
You can help improve water quality and your local ecosystem by simply scooping your dogs poop!
How does pet waste end up in our local water systems and cause harmful damage to our environment?
- Pet waste is carried by rain through street gutters and catch basins into our local creeks and rivers and is one of the PRIMARY sources of WATER POLLUTION
- Dog waste does NOT break down on it’s own
- It is NOT a natural fertilizer and can throw off the balance of an ecosystem
- Disease-causing bacteria and parasite can spread to OTHER DOGS and spread easily through our waterways to reach Lake Ontario, where it depletes the oxygen that fish and other water-based life need to survive
Picking up your pet waste benefits other dogs, water quality and our overall ecosystem!