BeeGreenGuide

Someone recently asked me about using composted doggie doo in a vegetable garden. NEVER put dog waste in a compost pile. It can cause the disease Toxicariasis (from roundworms), and can contain E. coli, fecal coliform bacteria, salmonella and giardia.

I have bred and raised Golden Retrievers, and I always advised new puppy owners to dispose of the waste in a separate bag from other trash, or to have a separate compost spot for only the dog waste.

There are doggie septic systems that you can easily use in your yard. They consist of a pail with drainage holes in the sides and bottom, and this is buried in a far corner of your yard as deep as the pail, leaving it so that the lid can be easily removed and replaced. You just drop in the waste and put the lid back on. Every couple of weeks you can add some beneficial bacteria and water to keep the natural breakdown working. You don’t need to buy any special beneficial bacteria for the pet system. Just use Rid-X or any regular septic treatment from WalMart or a home/hardware store. The properly decomposed waste will leach out from the bottom of the pail into the ground safely. This is the most suitable solution for keeping your yard clean and green.

Please, always clean up after your dog when you go to a park or on walks. Try the biodegradable baggies made for this purpose, and you can toss the bag and all into your doggie septic pail. Some of the baggies are made with a corn starch base, and some from other biodegradable substances. Small brown paper bags, like lunch bags, also work well. Stay away from regular plastic baggies that do not decompose. Never put plastic into the doggie septic pail.

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