Dogs come in all shapes and sizes but they all have one thing in common, poo. Judging what is socially and environmentally acceptable to do with your dogs faeces can be a bit of minefield so we have debunked some of the myths and simplified everything…

1. “As long as it’s not on the path it’s ok. I just stick and flick if it’s not“.

Small children do not stick to paths! Dog poo on pram wheels and in shoes is not fun. Plus Dog faeces can seriously impact on local farm animals. Bacteria contained in faeces can cause cattle to abort. Importantly neospora oocysts can last on the ground for long periods of time so if there isn’t cattle in the field until later in the year, the neospora could still affect them.  Once a cow has been infected they remain infected for life so all future calves they have are likely to abort.

2. “It’s fine to leave it because it will just wash away when it next rains“

3. “You can leave it on the beach – the tide will wash it “away”

“Away” actually means that it is likely to reach our local rivers and seas in this case. Dog faeces is very high in bacteria and local sea swimmers, paddleboarders and paddlers will not want to splash around with floaters that could make them sick.

4. “There is cow and sheep poo all over the countryside, what is the big deal about dog poo?”

Cows and sheep are herbivores so their poo is broken-down plant matter, a bit like compost whereas dogs’ diets contain processed meats and fish products. You wouldn’t want to spread dog poo on your allotment! Dog poo can contain:

• Neospora
• Giardia
• Salmonella
• Leptospira
• E. coli
• Parvovirus
• Roundworm – which causes TOXOCARIASIS INFECTION

5. “Dog poo can only go in dog poo bins”

You can put them in any bin! Any bin will do…

6. “It is better to leave the poo on the ground rather than wrap it up in a plastic bag – plastic is more terrible for the environment than dog poo.”

Plastic bags are only a problem when they aren’t put in the bin as we know that plastic never breaks down and just becomes micro plastic. However, dog poo that goes in the bin could be burnt for energy from waste if in a council bin – so your dog poo can help heat a home or charge someone’s phone! It is worth looking into biodegradable poo bags that do not contact plastic too