Two things happened this week that encouraged me to write about this topic. First, I received an e-mail from a reader who owns the local franchise of DoodyCalls. (Who knew there was a business out their that will come by and pick up your pet’s waste, but more on that later). He suggested that I discuss the topic of pet waste from the perspective of human health and environmental protection.

Then I received a letter from the City of Charleston’s Keep Charleston Beautiful initiative.

This letter was requesting help from local veterinarians and businesses to help spread the word that, picking up your pet’s waste is not only the right thing to do, it’s the law.

The City of Charleston Environmental Control Ordinance, Article 2, Sec. 26-2(f) states that it is unlawful for anyone to allow their dog or cat to “discharge its excreta” on the pet owner’s property or anywhere else unless that person immediately removes the waste from the public or private property. Violation of this ordinance could carry a fine of up to $1092.

So, now that I have been prompted and am supported by city law, I will get on my soap box about pet waste.

I used to live where I shared parking and dog-walking space with my neighbors. It drove me crazy that my neighbors would leave their dog’s waste in the parking lot, where inevitably, at least once a week, I would step in it on my way to the car. Grrrrr. Even after I learned that, in some countries, it is considered good luck to step in dog poo, I did not appreciate the experience one iota.

What is so hard about taking a plastic bag with you when your walk your dog? I even went so far as to post a sign and I supplied the plastic bags in the parking area. I have to say, that worked rather well. It is amazing how people will comply with a task if things have been set up to be convenient and easy.

But, if you aren’t at risk of stepping in dog poo, why should you care?

Aside from the law, there are both health and environmental reasons to pick up dog or cat waste and place it in a composting container or a garbage can where it will be taken away to a dump where runoff is controlled.

Pet waste is carried into the storm drains which flow, untreated, into our fragile rivers and marshes. The federal Environmental Protection Agency explains that this waste provides nutrients for weeds and algae.

These weeds and algae limit the amount of light that can penetrate the water’s surface and choke off oxygen supplies for fish and other marine life. Considering that dogs and cats in the Charleston area produce over 10,000 pounds of waste daily, you can understand how this affects our waterways.

From a health perspective, you need to know that pet excreta can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites that could infect other domestic pets as well as wildlife and humans. I could, and have, written entire articles about the diseases that one can get from animal poo, but I’ll just point out some of the major ones here.

Roundworms get a lot of press because they are deposited in infected animal’s feces where they become infective to children who play in the sand or dirt. If a child ingests an infective egg, the larvae could migrate to their eyes and cause blindness. This is why we deworm puppies and kittens every 2-3 weeks when they are young, as young animals are the number one carrier of this parasite if they are not appropriately dewormed.

Another one that folks hear a lot about is toxoplasmosis.

This parasite is carried in cat waste. If a woman in her first trimester of pregnancy ingests an infective organism, it could cause birth defects in their baby. This is why a spouse is usually encouraged to clean the litter box during a woman’s pregnancy, but the truth is, most woman are infected from their gardens or from food that has been contaminated on the farm. Other diseases that you have heard about include giardia, Salmonella and hookworms.

Contrary to what you might think, pet feces does not make good fertilizer. It actually burns and discolors your lawn, so don’t use that excuse to leave your pet’s waste lying around. So, what can you do to help?

First and foremost, when you are walking your dog, bring along a plastic baggie to pick up the feces immediately. Deposit it in a public waste receptacle or in your own garbage can. Second, pick up waste from your own yard.

This is where DoodyCalls comes in.

They supply technicians who come out to your house to do this for you.

If you live in an apartment or condo, talk to your renter’s or home owner’s association and have them hire a company like DoodyCalls who will help keep the grounds free of pet waste.

You can go online and check out Doodycalls.com for more information on this, but you don’t need a professional to do the right thing. Just realize that pet waste is dangerous to you and the environment and clean it up!

(Dr. Katherine A. Saenger, DVM, owns Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital and Boarding Kennel (www.beesferry.com) and is a former board member of the Charleston Animal Society (formerly John Ancrum SPCA.) If you have questions about pet behavior or health, or suggestions for column topics, e-mail her at vetsaenger@bellsouth.net, and watch the column in coming weeks for her responses.)