Dog droppings that are not cleaned by their owners on the street cause the growth of grass to deteriorate, which leads to the formation of open spaces in the soil. Olga Mikheeva, chief physician of the Vet Union veterinary clinic, told socialbites.ca about this. She talked about how uncollected dog waste affects the environment.
According to the expert, dog feces contain a large proportion of protein components and fat, which prolongs their decomposition time. Therefore, the level of contamination of lawns and park areas with dog feces exceeds the natural possibility of rapid biotransformation of such organic materials.
“At the same time, the excrement of carnivorous and omnivorous animals is not suitable for soil enrichment without a long pre-treatment process. In its original form, a large concentration of fecal matter simply “burns” the plants, he explained.
In addition, fecal masses and soil contaminated with them are an excellent substrate for the reproduction of many microorganisms. The doctor noted that some of them are neutral in terms of human and animal health, while others are harmful.
“Salmonella is quite common in dog feces, for example. This will not affect the dog’s condition in any way. During the decomposition of fecal matter, the bacterial flora, together with groundwater, passes through large paths and enters local water bodies, where it reproduces well in the warm season and serves as a source of infection for everyone around. Helminth eggs are equally important – contaminated soil and groundwater will serve as a source of infection for a long time, ”said the veterinarian.
However, even if an animal is treated for parasites, this does not mean that its excrement is safe for the environment.
“The development cycle of any helminth is much shorter than the generally accepted multiplicity of processing. Therefore, in most pets there is always a background level of helminthic infestation and, accordingly, the release of eggs into the external environment. The less parasite treatments are done, the higher the level of infection. It’s important to remember that the higher it is. And the more intensely the eggs are released, ”Mikheeva warned.
Previously recognizedThat Russian developers will have to collectively create playgrounds for dogs.