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Let’s face it: No one likes picking up after their dog. It’s gross, menial and, yes, a tad demeaning.
And according to The Poop Bandit owner Michael Wright, it’s not all that uncommon for dog owners to just let the waste sit in their yards.
However, Wright says that can cause myriad problems in and around your home. So dog owners, take note: Here are four reasons why you shouldn’t leave your furry friend’s mess in the yard.
HEALTH RISKS
Dog waste contains a smorgasbord of bacteria and parasites, including roundworms, salmonella, E. coli, giardia, leptospira, parvovirus, coliform bacteria and cryptosporidium.
And yes, those can be transmitted to you or your family through indirect means, such as insects making contact with the waste and then contacting you, Wright says.
Moreover, stepping on dog waste that contains parasite eggs or hookworm larvae also can make a person sick, he says.
Families with children who like to play outside are particularly susceptible to these risks.
IT’S FERTILIZER, RIGHT?
No!
“It is not a fertilizer,” Wright says. “It is toxic, and it is killing your yard. It’s also attracting bugs, mice and rodents.”
Wright says dog feces is far too acidic for grass. Moreover, it isn’t financially sensible to try to compost it to turn it into a usable fertilizer. The same pathogens that can harm you and your family need to be killed to keep the compost safe, and that process is too labor-intensive and expensive for it to make sense, Wright says.
“Your compost heap will need to maintain a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit for five days,” he says.
Furthermore, even if you did achieve that temperature, it still wouldn’t be safe to use on plants that yield food.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
Dog waste contains pathogens, including bacteria and parasites, that are harmful to the environment. And, when left to rot in your backyard, the waste can find its way into the groundwater or into storm drains.
Once there, the waste has a direct route to nearby streams, rivers and other bodies of water, Wright says. If the amount of waste is high enough, it can cause algae to grow, which, in turn, can kill fish and affect the ability to use bodies of water for recreational purposes.
IT’S JUST GROSS
In the end, a clean, waste-free yard is more pleasant than one with land mines scattered about.
And a more pleasant yard means more enjoyable time in it. That means more backyard use, more barbecues and more parties. It also means you won’t have to watch where you step or risk tracking in an unwanted mess into the home.
ABOUT POOP BANDIT
Owner Michael Wright launched The Poop Bandit in 2017 as a way to help his oldest son, Lucas, earn money for car insurance and gas. Lucas grew the company to eight clients, but after he graduated and enlisted in the Marines, the company remained stagnant.
Then, when COVID-19 stopped the world in March 2020, it also stopped the growth of Michael Wright’s main businesses — high-end executive recruiting firms. And after a few months, he realized something critical: The Poop Bandit was pandemic-proof.
“We still had clients, and someone had to do the work,” he says.
Since then, The Poop Bandit has become the market leader in the pooper-scooper industry in West Orange and Southwest Orange. The business has a warehouse, operates five trucks and has seven employees. Wright’s goal: $1M in sales this year.
THE POOP BANDIT
WEBSITE: poopbandit.com
PHONE: (407) 604-1008
EMAIL: [email protected]