Moscow residents received the city’s February 2023 newsletter last week. The first piece in it concerned pet waste.
Having written about the subject here a couple of times in the past kind of makes this issue irritating. The greater irritation, however, is the number of people who still won’t pick up after their pets and hope no one is looking.
There are some who do not know what to do. In Moscow, pet waste in your yard needs to be picked up and then placed in the standard municipal waste stream. That’s a garbage can.
People should carry surplus plastic bags from grocery shopping when they walk their dogs in the city. Wherever the pooch delivers a load means the person needs to pick it up. Again, it goes in the trash can.
Yes, we should eliminate plastic from the waste stream but so far, no one has developed a recycled paper bag that is supple enough to work well when picking up waste. There are biodegradable plastic bags out there, though.
For those who walk their dogs on public sidewalks, your dog has choices. They can go on the sidewalk, in the public right-of-way or on the lawn that abuts the sidewalk. The sidewalk is never the right place. Waste on sidewalks is easily washed away and contaminates surface waters. Use the leash to direct the pet to the public right-of-way or the neighbor’s lawn.
Ideally the right-of-way strip is the preferred location, but dogs typically prefer any lawn. So far, I have not met a canine that can read a map. In all cases, pick up the waste and put it in your trash can.
If you have a dog that loves the water, walk them on ground far away from the waterway until they defecate, then take them for a romp or training in the water.
To some people, the thought of handling waste, even with the protection of a plastic bag around their hand, is repulsive. Get over it. For a few bucks one can buy a box of disposable nitrile gloves to use if double protection is needed.
And be sure to vaccinate all your pets to prevent the passage of parasites or pathogens from their waste to people or other animals.
As for cats, the city pleads with the public not to empty litter boxes into toilets.
The cat litter that most people use is made with bentonite clay or other types of clay. Clay absorbs liquids, expands, becomes very sticky and can clog pipes and sewerage systems. It is extremely hard to remove once it gets in the pipes.
As it is with dogs, a cat’s waste needs to be scooped up and placed in the municipal waste stream. Pee in a litter box is converted to solid waste, so it goes in the trash, too.
I scoop my kitty’s almond rocha replicas out of the litter box. Using the strainer, I shake the clay off, and then it goes in a toilet where the flush is started before the waste hits the water. Why do that? Because any clay left on the waste will actually adhere to the side of the toilet and is difficult to clean.
Pee from dogs and cats naturally excreted on city or campus grounds are admissible. As for any waste aimed at a neighbor’s property, use all due means to discourage that in your animals. I have no problem yanking a leash to keep wet or dry waste off another’s property.
For kitty, consider an outdoor litter box, too.
Powell is the retired public information officer for Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. This column reflects his thoughts and no longer represents WSU. For questions or concerns about animals you’d like to read about, email charliepowell74@gmail.com.
