Over the past week, FYI Talgarth has received numerous correspondences regarding dog fouling on the playing fields and green spaces of Talgarth. Despite a positive and ongoing campaign by the Talgarth Town Council, being championed by the Mayor Jacqui Wilding there is still a problem. The Mayor recently escalated the concerns of dog fouling to One Voice Wales as a resolution to be taken to The Senedd, National Assembly Wales, to try to encourage a National campaign. The Town Council have also raised the issue with Dafydd Llywelyn the Police Commissioner for security and safety of Dyfed Powys. The Town Council hopes he will make a visit to Talgarth to discuss this and other areas of crime in the near future, we will keep you posted.
During the Councils recent projects to tackle the problem, dog owners were invited to meet with members of the council and free dog poo bags were handed out to those who participated. Cards have been distributed to encourage people to report dog fouling especially when there is evidence of repeat offending.
Whilst appreciating not all dog owners are irresponsible, it would seem there are some who continue to let their animals foul the playing fields and green areas, causing huge disruption to children and adult activity on these areas and causing outrage amongst fellow residents.
In an attempt to establish facts we took a look at some of the myths and advice out there regarding 'DOG POO'!
Here are some simple but important facts to consider:
1. Diet
Wild dogs such as coyotes, foxes, wolves (distant cousins of our domestic dog), have a very different diet to that of the Nation's fav pet. Wild animal-poo, especially that of the carnivorous persuasion, is the result of a high-protein and calcium-rich diet and 100% biodegradable. Our natural gardeners such as flies, beetles, and other insects soon go to work on natural poo and decompose it turning it into soil rich nutrients. Whereas domestic dog food generally contains preservatives, chemicals, or grain and can take up to a year to decompose! Meaning that despite leaving your dog's parcel by the wayside, it DOES NOT disappear in a weeks time.
Domestic dog waste tends to be the product of a cheap diet, and this itself means that the dog poos holds its consistency and smell for close to a year before it finally begins to break down. Dogs on preservative rich dog food, produce waste that is also rich in preservatives. These ingredients constitute a problem.
The only instance where dog poop decomposes to a dust is when dogs are fed a RAW diet. RAW diets are the exact natural diets a wild predator would consume. Natural diets like these also help produce less waste and a 'milder' smell.
2. Aesthetics
It is not nice to see along the footpaths or equally the dog poo bags left indiscriminately on the wayside awaiting collection. Who wants to see it let alone step in it! Whilst we appreciate the initiative to bag it, it still needs to be deposited in a bin! Not left on trees, gates or even on the path next to the bin!
3. Hazardous facts!
Dog faeces can contain harmful diseases that can easily be transmitted to other animals and humans. When dog poop has a hard time decomposing, these diseases and bacterias can seep out and find their way to us via touch and transmission, especially when a child steps on it or in the playing fields and falls in it whilst playing sport! This is also a problem when it enters the sewer system, or into underwater springs from rainfall. If faeces itself makes its way into natural rivers, springs, and lakes, it can result in algae blooms and ammonia spikes due to the dissolved-oxygen pet waste consumes. Aquatic plants and animals depend on sunlight and oxygen for survival in these waters. So as dog poop decomposes in water, so will the habitat.
Did you know: Toxocariasis is a rare infection caused by roundworm parasites. Humans can catch it from handling soil or sand contaminated with infected animal faeces. Roundworm parasites are most commonly found in cats, dogs and foxes, and usually affect young children. This is because children are more likely to come into contact with contaminated soil when they play and put their hands in their mouths.
However, cases have been reported in people of all ages.
Signs and symptoms to look out for!
For most people, an infection with these roundworm larvae causes no symptoms and the parasites die within a few months. However, some people experience mild symptoms, such as:
a cough
a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above
headaches
stomach pain
In rare cases, the roundworm larvae infect organs such as the liver, lungs, eyes or brain and cause severe symptoms, such as:
fatigue
loss of appetite or weight loss
skin rashes
wheezing or breathing difficulties
seizures (fits)
blurred or cloudy vision, usually only affecting one eye
a very red and painful eye
If you suspect any of these symptoms please contact your GP. Always encourage you children to Wash Their Hands! Especially after playtime in playgrounds and playing fields.
Typical dog poo can contain :
Parasitic worms–Heartworms, Hookworms, Roundworms, Whipworms, Tapeworms
E. Coli
Giardia
Salmonellosis
Cryptosporidiosis
Campylobacteriosis
Parvo
Tuberculosis
4. Dog Waste - its huge!
The average dog can excrete 3/4 of a pound of waste per day! Just imagine that on a trailer!
5. Landfill
Currently dog poo in bags tends to end up in Landfill however, there are issues with this also, which at a National level need to be looked at and reviewed. However, for now, we encourage you to put your bagged poo in the waste bins provided.
6. Is it safe to flush your dog poo down the toilet?
Other suggestions have been to 'flush it away' in the toilet. We contacted Welsh Water who were very keen to express their views on this. They gave us the following press release! :
"As a company, we provide services to around 1.3 million households to ensure a safe and reliable drinking water supply and to deal effectively with wastewater in order to protect the environment.
Our wastewater treatment works are designed to treat human waste and return the treated water to our water courses. The foul sewer network should only be used for disposal of the ordinary contents of lavatories and waste water that has been used for bathing, cooking and washing. This recommendation aligns with the definition of “domestic sewerage purposes” within the Water Industry Act 1991, which prescribes what can legally be disposed of into the sewer network.
We do not advise customers to dispose of dog mess down the toilet, particularly so if it has already been placed in a bag or has attached itself to other debris as this can cause blockages in our sewer network. These blockages cost us over £7 million a year to clear and so we support the ‘bag it and bin it’ approach adopted by local authorities in Wales.
Approximately two-thirds of the sewer blockages reported to us each year are the result of some form of "sewer abuse” – people pouring, flushing or incorrectly disposing of material down the sewer network that should be discarded or recycled using other waste disposal routes.
While Welsh Water has not carried out any specific research into the impact of dog waste on the sewerage system, we have previously had to clear sewer blockages associated with gravel, plastic bags and other debris entering the pipework along with the dog waste.
The health risks associated with human contact with dog faeces are well understood and the Health Protection Agency and NHS have offered valuable advice on reducing the risks associated with Toxocarosis, which is relevant in protecting our operational staff. Advice previously offered by the Health Protection Agency suggested: “Toxocara eggs can survive sewage processing although the subsequent risks from them are undetermined; flushing the faeces down the toilet is considered inappropriate”.
As a result, we cannot promote or support the disposal of dog faeces to the wastewater network."
Sheena Howells, Regional Communications Manager on behalf of - Dwr Cymru - Welsh Water
So, please if you are a dog owner or walker, please remember to bag and bin it, use dog bins or the black litter bins situated in and around the area. These are safe to dispose of your dog poo. If you need help or advice on dog fouling you can contact the following people:
REPORT it to :
01597 827465 - Powys County Council
Email: tls.helpdesk@powys.gov.uk Twitter: @Powyscc
01874 711565 - via Josephine Rumsey, Town Clerk, Talgarth Town Council or email clerk@talgarthtowncouncil.co.uk
Link to map showing where dog walkers are alowed to walk around the playing fields: http://www.talgarthtowncouncil.co.uk/TalgarthTC/documents_and_reports-15628.aspx
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