The Issue

Pet waste is raw sewage. It contains hazardous organisms that cause bacterial contamination in local streams, rivers and lakes. When it rains, bacteria in dog poop is carried by stormwater runoff to storm drains, ditches and streams that feed our rivers, lakes and Puget Sound. Dog waste contains fecal coliform bacteria and other disease-causing organisms such as salmonella, roundworms and giardia. These bacteria can make water unsafe to drink or swim in.