Pledge to ‘Doo the Right Thing’ and Enter Your Pup in a Calendar Contest

By Office of Communication

Posted on May 16, 2017, May 16, 2017

We're calling on dog owners in City of Arlington to help protect our local waterways and the community bypledging to Doo the Right Thing. Owners who pledge to Doo the Right Thing and pick up after their dogs can enter them in the annual North Central Texas Council of Government's DFW Stormwater Calendar Photo Contest. The winning pictures will be featured in the 2018 calendar!

Voting ends August 20. Click here to see the entries!

Why Should you pick up after your dog?

• Besides being messy and unsightly, dog waste is a health risk for pets and people. Pets, kids playing outside, and adults who garden are most at risk for infection from the bacteria and parasites found in dog waste.
• Dog waste affects our water quality. When dog waste is left on the ground, rain or sprinkler runoff can wash the waste down our storm drains where the water runs directly into creeks, rivers, and lakes. These water bodies are the source of our drinking water and where we swim, fish, and boat.
• When the waste decays in water, it uses up dissolved oxygen and releases nutrients that causes algae growth, harming fish and other aquatic life.
• An estimated 1.5 million dogs live in the North Central Texas region, producing more than 500 tons of waste each day. While one pile of dog poop may not seem like a big deal, many piles can add up to a substantial problem. It's up to the entire region to be part of the solution-and your personal commitment makes a huge difference.

Here are some tips for dealing with pet waste:

• When walking your dog, always carry a couple of bags with you to pick up any waste from your dog. Plastic bread bags, newspaper sleeves or plastic grocery bags work great!
• At least once a week, clean up droppings around your yard.
• Bagged waste can be put in the trash. ( If it's not bagged, you can flush it down the toilet)

Visit www.dfwstormwater.com/petwaste to learn more about the impacts of dog waste, take the pledge, and submit your dog's photo. People who have pledged in prior years are welcome to take the pledge again. The contest ends June 30, 2017. We can't wait to see your photos!