The Transmission of Disease

Image of shoes that say "Germ Taxi" on them

Harmful organisms that can be transmitted from pet waste to children and adults can persist for on the ground for weeks, months, even years. Round worm eggs, for one, which infect an estimated 14% of Americans, do just fine on the ground for up to three years and are easily picked up on shoes, paws or feet, including barefoot humans. If bacteria are on the grass, they'll can easily hitch a ride into your house. A 2008 study by the University of Arizona found up to 99% of fecal pathogens transfer easily onto clean floors inside the home via shoes. Fecal coliform and other bacteria found in dog waste can make people sick, leading to breathing problems, diarrhea, blindness and worse. Some of the diseases that can be spread to humans from pet waste include,

  • Campylobacteriosis (a bacterial infection frequently causing diarrhea in humans)
  • Salmonellosis (the most common bacterial infection transmitted to humans -- symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, vomiting, and diarrhea)
  • Toxocarisis (roundworms transmitted from animals to humans. Symptoms include vision loss, rash, fever, or cough)
  • Fecal coliform causes dysentery, hepatitis, typhoid fever and ear infections
  • Roundworm, giardiasis, tuberculosis, gastroenteritis and cryptosporidiosis
  • Cysticercosis which is a disease of humans involving larval tapeworms in the human body

With 1.2 million dogs in the greater Dallas, Texas area, that’s the sewage equivalent of a city almost as large as Dallas with no toilets. DFW dogs produce some 900,000 pounds of sewage per day which contaminating the environment, especially groundwater, area lakes and the Trinity River.

Volunteers from Texas Stream Team working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) conduct monthly tests to monitor water quality of the White Rock Lake watershed which feeds directly into the Trinity. TCEQ standards for water quality include a maximum of 126 colony forming units (CFUs) of E. Coli bacteria which come from warm-blooded animals such as humans, dogs, and coyotes. Some of the prime tributaries feeding the lake include White Rock Creek, Skillman Branch Creek, Williamson Creek, and the Dixon Branch Creek. All of them are toxic with E. Coli.

White Rock Creek, a main feeder running down from the north under Northwest Highway, averages 283 CFUs near the lake, and more than double that number near Hillcrest Road near I-635—exceeding TCEQ's acceceptible limit by a factor of five! That's from dog waste washed nightly by sprinkler systems and periodically by rainwater into storm drains which empty directly into these tributaries. Storm water is not filtered nor treated thus thunderstorms and heavy downpours cause enormous spokes in fecal bacteria and pathogens directly traceable to dog waste.
Williamson Creek, which runs along Williamson Road in Lakewood, currently averages 234 CFUs of E. Coli, almost twice the accepted limit.
Skillman Branch which runs through the Village Apartments between Southwestern and Lovers Lane, averages 396 CFUs of E Coli. If you were to drink any of this contaminated water it would likely make you sick. You can see the numbers for yourself by clicking on the red drops on the map at Texas Stream Team's website.

Dog waste is not “fertilizer”

Some people assume dog waste is okay for composting but the EPA says NO! unless you like flowers and vegetables impreganated with toxic bacteria. Eating a tomato with fecal bacteria inside of it is about the same as sprinkling dog waste in your cereal = not recommended. Composting does not kill the smorgasbord of harmful pathogens in dog waste that attack humans and pets. Fecal coliform bacteria are just one of a whole suite of pathogens that can thrive in a compost pile and wind up inside "bacteria-bomb" vegetables!

Ignoring the above-ground sewage in your backyard is going the way of bloodletting and other harmful practices held over from darker, less enlightened times. A waste treatment facility or landfill is set up to contain fecal matter. Your backyard is not. Watch this short video demonstration to learn more.

 

Summary

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A backyard contaminated by dog waste is no walk in the park! Our procedures and protocols are designed to protect and conserve the most precious parkland of all — the one you call home. It’s like having a park ranger for your own backyard which is why we say, “We treat your yard like a National Park!” 

Sgt. Poopers invites you to go green "with a little help from your friends." We're a conservation company, so our protocols are based on the principles of conservation. Our approach is common-sense, holistic, always safe, and 100% effective. Our methodology works and you will see immediate results. On top of everything else, no contract is required. We do not use toxic chemistry that can harm people or pets. We restore the balance of nature and make living environments safe for you, children, pets, and beneficial insects like honeybees and butterflies. Please tour our website to learn more. If you have any questions, please call us today at (214) 563-6379. For your convenience, you may also request services from this site.

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Steve Hall
CEO & President, Sgt. Poopers
Conservation Advocate

We would like to thank you for your interest in Sgt. Poopers. We look forward to serving you in the near future!

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Tags: dog waste removal, Sgt Poopers, Dallas, Texas, Conservation, environmental toxins, pet waste removal

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