Why should you pick up your dog’s faeces?
1) They can transmit worms to other dogs, people
and animals.
2) Dog faeces smell and look unpleasant!
3) Dog faeces spread diseases including parvovirus
and toxocariasis.
4) People step in it, children may fall in
it when playing, and you can get it on the wheels of your
pram or trolley.
5) It displaces the natural flora of the environment.
6) It can cause strained relations between
the dog owner and their neighbours which could result in an
unpleasant experience for the dog owner!
PARVOVIRUS
This virus can remain infectious in ground
soiled with dog faeces for up to 5 months. If the faeces are
stepped in the virus can be transmitted to your dog through
houses, cars and gardens via your shoes. Parvovirus can be
fatal. The symptoms in dogs can include foul-smelling, bloody
diarrhoea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, lethargy followed
by dehydration, shock and death if not successfully treated.
TOXOCARIASIS
Toxocariasis is a disease caused by the roundworm
Toxocaria Canis which is found in dog faeces (not to be confused
with Toxoplasmosis which is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma
Gondii and found in CAT faeces). It is thought that up to
70% puppies have this worm and up to 40% adult dogs. In most
cases the worm will not cause any symptoms in dogs, however
if humans are infected the parasite can cause Ocular larva
migrans, an eye disease which can result in blindness. The
other form of this disease is Visceral larva migrans which
causes swelling of the organs and nervous system. Symptoms
can include coughing, asthma and pneumonia.
THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
You may think that you do not need to pick
up dog faeces because you live in the country and your dog
does not soil the pavements, however in certain areas of the
country the quantity of dog faeces is so large that it is
causing problems with the native species of plants. Worming
treatments, flea treatments and other medications are all
chemicals which can leak into the soil from the faeces; these
chemicals may also slow the decomposition of the faeces. Dog
faeces rich in nutrients like protein can enrich the surrounding
soil which may cause the wrong type of plants to flourish
(e.g. weeds).
UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCES FOR THE DOG OWNER!
Be careful where your dog goes to the toilet.
Neighbours that are fed up with dog faeces outside their house
have posted it through the letter boxes of the offending owner,
flung it on the owners garden and anecdotal reports suggest
that faeces have even been dropped in handbags!
AND
DON’T FORGET THAT LEAVING DOG FAECES COMES WITH
A MAXIMUM FINE OF £1000.
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