3 / 23 / 22 , 10:10 AM 2021 Doo the Right Thing Pet Photo Contest Opens May 1 - City of Arlington
2021 Doo the Right Thing Pet Photo Contest Opens May 1
2021 Doo the Right Thing Pet Photo Contest Opens May 1 By Melissa Walker , Environmental Education Specialist Posted on Thursday , April 29 , 2021
City of Arlington dog owners , It ’ s time for the annual Doo the Right Thing ( DTRT ) contest . We are asking dog owners to take the DTRT pledge to pick up their dog ’ s doo and enter a photo of their dog ( s ).
The winner of the photo contest will be the featured Watershed Protector on the DTRT Facebook page . Additional winners will be featured in daily / monthly posts on all the DTRT Social Media Channels between October 2021 and September 2022 .
Why is it important to pick up after your dog ? We all know dog waste is unsightly and smells bad , but dog waste can also harbor bacteria and parasites that are dangerous to people , other pets and wildlife . When it rains bacteria such as E . coli and fecal coliform can be washed into our local waterways making them unfit for human contact . Diseases such as Salmonellosis , Yersiniosis and Campylobacteriosis can cause serious illnesses while parasites like Cyclospora , roundworms and tapeworms cause intestinal infections and gastroenteritis in humans .
There are estimated 1.5 million dogs in the North Central Texas Region . One pile of doo might not seem like a big deal , but a few piles a day from 1.5 million dogs is a monumental problem . Dog waste that gets into local streams , creeks and lakes causes algae growth that harms aquatic life and while some animal waste can be uses as fertilizer , dog waste is harmful to your lawn and gardens .
Here are some tips to help you keep your pledge :
Keep spare baggies in your car and on the leash . If you don ’ t have a portable waste bag dispenser for the leash , you can tie a regular grocery , sandwich , newspaper or produce bag around the handle . Always throw bagged doo in a trash can or flush un-bagged doo down the toilet . Pick up doo in your yard at least once a week and before forecasted rain .
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