It's Time to PUP Columbus!
Hey Columbus! It’s time to PUP (Pick Up Poop)! All dog owners can "doo" the right thing and scoop poop when walking and in your own backyard. Our goal is clean water, and PUPing is our law.
Sign our PUP Pledge today!
So, what’s the big stink?
Picking up your dog’s poop is a small act that makes a big impact.
Leaving your dog’s poop on the ground isn’t just gross for your neighbors; it pollutes our ecosystem. When left on the ground, rain can wash dog waste into storm drains that directly enter our rivers, streams, and lakes. A single gram of dog (about the weight of a business card) can contain over 23 million harmful bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella. That’s up to 2 times as much bacteria as human waste and more than 10 times as much bacteria as cow manure! Woof!
Contrary to what your dog may think, their poop is not a gift to nature. Due to dogs’ high-protein diets, their waste is highly acidic, which means it is NOT a fertilizer. In fact, when dog waste is washed into our waterways, its high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus fuel toxic algae blooms, which reduce the oxygen levels that fish and other aquatic life need to survive.
Untreated stormwater pollution can create concerns for public health, local ecosystems, and the safety of recreational waters, which is why PUPing is our law. Check out our "Frequently Asked Questions" page(PDF, 164KB) for specific city guidelines and ordinances.
Now you may be asking yourselves, “As good neighbors, we all know the importance of picking up our dog’s poop, but what else can we do as dog owners to help minimize our environmental impact?” Luckily for you, you’ve got all the eco-friendly options you need to be the best neighbor and dog owner on your block!
1. Use compostable poop bags
Traditional plastic poop bags can take hundreds of years to decompose. And while picking up your dogs poop with these bags is still far better than leaving your dog’s poop on the ground, real PUP warriors can use compostable bags to help minimize the environmental impact of their poop bag. Keep in mind – compostable bags still need to go in the trash unless you have access to a specific pet waste compost system.
2. Flush it....yes, really!
Flushing your pet’s waste sends it directly to our water reclamation plant, where it will be properly sanitized and handled, unlike when it gets washed into waterways. You can do this safely by scooping your dog’s poop in toilet paper or in flushable bags (these are specifically made for this exact purpose, never flush a plastic or compostable poop bag).
3. Participate in municipal pet waste programs
Columbus has installed PUP kiosks (providing free poop bags to encourage dog-owners to PUP) in ALL Columbus Recreation and Parks Department city parks. Show support of these stations by not only using them, but by also advocating for more in areas that you think could really benefit from them. If you know of any public spaces in Columbus that could benefit from a PUP kiosk, contact us to let us know!
4. Educate your neighbors about PUP!
Many people still falsely believe that leaving their dog’s poop on the ground is fine because it will help add nutrients to the soil. As we know from our PUP-ucation, that is simply not the case! You can help just by PUP’s message and educate to other dog owners the importance of picking up their dog's poop and how it impacts not only the sanity of their neighbors, but also the health of their environment.
Want to keep showing support for PUP in your community? (or show support of your neighbor finally picking up their dog's poop from your yard?) Email pup@columbus.gov to receive any of the PUP doorhangers or yard signs you see below!
Doorhangers:
Yard signs:
Send up a picture of your dog in our swag or with our tag #PickItUpColumbus for your pup to get featured on our website and socials!