Merde de chien! A Saturday stroll on Main Street had eighth grader Kevin Davis counting — dog leavings, 30 of them.
This smorgasbord of canine waste prompted the East Ridge Middle School student to write to The Press, announcing his plan to hand out doggie bags at Monday’s Memorial Day parade.
“My middle school service project is to make pet owners more responsible in cleaning up after their dog and educating the public on how harmful dog waste is to people, animals and the environment,” said Kevin, who goes to East Ridge Middle School.
“Ridgefield is a pet-friendly town. I see people walk their dog every day. Unfortunately, some pet owners do not properly clean up after their pet.
“On Saturday, May 9, I walked from the library to just past the fountain and I counted and took pictures of nine piles of dog poop and 21 bags of poop that were tossed aside.
“The research from the Environmental Protection Agency shows that in 1991, dog waste was labeled as a non-point source pollutant, placing it in the same category as herbicides and insecticides.
“Dog waste is toxic. Dog feces are one of the most common carriers of the following diseases: whipworms, hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, parvovirus, corona, giardiasis, salmonellosis, cryptosporidiosis, and campylobacteriosis.
“It has been estimated that a single gram of dog waste can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria, which are known to cause cramps, diarrhea, intestinal illness, and serious kidney disorders in humans.
“The thing about persistently disposing of dog stool improperly (or not at all) is that it kicks off a harmful cycle that can affect people and animals,” he said.
“According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pet droppings can contribute to diseases animals pass to humans, called zoonosis. When infected dog poop is deposited on your lawn, the eggs of certain roundworms and other parasites can linger in your soil for years. Anyone who comes in contact with that soil — be it through gardening, playing sports, walking barefoot, etc. — runs the risk of coming into contact with those eggs.”
The EPA says, “The reluctance of many residents to handle dog waste is the biggest limitation to controlling pet waste.”
Kevin has strong feelings about pet owners’ responsibility.
“The cycle should begin and end with the dog owner,” he said. “Pet owners should be responsible and clean up after their pet. Pet owners should always have their dog on a leash when walking in a public area.
“Curb your pet, bring a poop bag to clean up after your pet. Dispose of the poop bag in a trash container!” he wrote.
“In order for Ridgefield to remain a beautiful, healthy, pet-friendly town, everyone needs to do their part; otherwise the toxic waste of dog poop will continue to accumulate and increase and the residents will be at risk of getting sick.”
Kevin is taking action.
“I will be handing out poop bags donated by Ridgefield Pet and Valu Pet at the Memorial Day parade,” he said. “I have also asked Mr. Marconi to consider installing disposable poop bag dispensers and containers around town.”
A village worker who walks regularly to her place of employment confirmed Kevin’s report of seeing not only dog poop but often dog poop that has been bagged and then left near the sidewalk rather than taken to a trash can.
“It’s aggravated me for years,” she said.
“There are some who actually do set them down where the dog pooped and pick them up on the way back, so they’re not all malefactors.
“I’m glad somebody’s doing something about it.”
Kevin is hopeful his service project will spark change.
“In the future when I am walking through town,” he said, “I hope to see the beautiful landscapes.”
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