Don’t let your pets contribute to water woes

By Ashley Boothe, Marketing Director, Poudre Pet & Feed Supply

Puppy Poopetrators

If you have a dog, they hopefully poop outdoors, but this means the only thing preventing their waste from washing into watersheds is you. Unscooped poop in yards, parks, and on sidewalks gets into our lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and even into groundwater.

It may be a seemingly small source of pollution, but animal waste can add up to big problems, especially in such a dog-friendly area as Northern Colorado where so many families have pets. Dog poop that isn’t disposed of properly presents serious issues for water quality and human health. Animal waste contains two main types of pollutants that harm local waters: nutrients and pathogens. 

Nutrients in pet waste cause excess algae in lakes and streams. This limits the light available to aquatic plants. Also, as algae decays it uses up oxygen needed by fish and makes the water murky, green, smelly, and even unusable for swimming, boating, or fishing. 

The pathogens (disease-causing bacteria and viruses) in animal waste, including tapeworm, roundworm, E. Coli, giardia, salmonella, and more, can be transmitted to humans and other animals, causing severe illness. Who wants to swim in or eat fish from raw sewage?

So be prepared when you take your dog on walks and hikes or out to parks and events.

• Keep your dog on a leash so they never relieve themselves without your knowledge.

• Bring bags and be sure to stoop and scoop!

• Scoop your yard at least weekly.

• Never use pet waste in your garden or compost. 

• Dispose of bagged and sealed waste in the trash and never throw it into storm drains or leave it on the side of the road or trail.

Poudre Pet & Feed Supply has myriad types of poop bags, bag holders and dispensers. Earth Rated makes vegetable-based, certified-compostable poop bags, and their plastic poop bags contain an additive that helps them to break down, unlike traditional plastic bags.

If you’re doing a lot of bending over to clean up those piles of brown stuff in your backyard, give your back a rest and get a tool to make the dirty job of poo pickup a little easier. Several styles of poop scoopers are available at Poudre Feed, including fold-away, spring action, or large-breed styles. The three-piece set by Four Paw with the collection pan, a spade for flat surfaces, and a rake for grass can serve every purpose. 

Kitty Conservationists

Surprisingly, the most important nutrient that your cat needs is water, so you don’t want to dissuade them from drinking as often as possible. But if you have a cat that likes drinking from the bathroom or kitchen faucet, there are alternatives to watching all that water go down the drain. 

Domestic cats may not be inclined to drink as much water from a bowl as they would from a moving water source because, instinctively, they know to be suspicious of still water, realizing that stagnant water can be contaminated and running water is safer. 

Instead of creating a running source of water at your tap, and wasting a precious natural resource, purchase a drinking fountain for your cat. Electric fountains recirculate several liters of water and will keep your pet's water 1-2 degrees cooler than a typical water bowl.

There are many different shapes and sizes of pet drinking fountains in ceramic, stainless steel or plastic varieties, and all can be found at Poudre Pet & Feed Supply. Nearly all fountains have some sort of water filtration system, using foam filters, activated carbon or charcoal, or some combination of each.

An important word about cats from the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, a Poudre RiverFest organizing partner: “While we realize many cat owners love their cats and want them to be happy, we also want to ensure we take responsibility for the natural world. Because cats present one of the biggest dangers to wild birds and other wildlife, please consider keeping your cats indoors. Not only will you help declining bird populations, it has also been shown that indoor cats live longer lives!”

There are a number of simple solutions to keep cats happy indoors and wild birds safe, including catios, cat harnesses and strollers, and indoor enrichment, like cat exercise wheels. Stop by one of Poudre Feed’s stores to learn more!

With four stores in Fort Collins, one in Windsor and one in Loveland, Poudre Pet & Feed Supply has the largest selection of eco-friendly supplies and food in Northern Colorado to meet all your pet care needs. Local two-day delivery and autoship are also available by visiting PoudreFeed.com.