Don't Poo-lute.
Cleaning up after your pet is not just a courtesy to others – it also helps to protect Maitland’s surface waters from harmful bacteria and excessive nutrients.
Dog waste left in yards, parks, sidewalks or streets can wash away with heavy rains into public stormwater collection systems, which often flow to lakes and retention areas.
Waste from the average-sized dog may contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria that cause human illness.
Pet waste carried by stormwater also can degrade lake water quality. The release of nutrients from decaying waste promotes weed and algae growth, limiting light penetration and the growth of aquatic vegetation. This in turn can reduce oxygen levels in the water, impacting fish and other organisms.
When walking your pet, make sure to bring a bag, clean up the waste, and then dispose of it in a trash receptacle – not a recycling container. If you prefer to flush waste, do not put the plastic bag into the toilet.