Using your dog’s poop as fertiliser? No, says researchers.
While you might think that your dog’s poop is fertilising the areas where they pee and poo, it certainly is. But not in a good way, according to a new research out of Belgium.
Even in natural parks where dogs are required to be on a leash, your pet’s excrements are a detriment to wildlife.
Dog excrements are doing more harm than good for the environment.
In the study, the researchers paid close attention to the numerous paths that run through the natural reserves around Ghent, a port city in northwest Belgium. The researchers estimate that the paths are littered with an extra 11.5 kgs, or 25.4 pounds, of nitrogen per hectare from dog excrement each year. Nearly 5 kilograms of phosphorus per hectare is added into the soil as well, which mostly comes from the dog’s faeces.
Such high concentrations of these nutrients have the ability to drastically alter the region’s biodiversity and ecosystem, the author argues.
A Shocking Study
It can take years for the increased level of nutrients to return back to its original levels.
The researchers noted that in the 18 months of their study, more than 1600 dogs visited the nature reserves. However, only two thirds of the dogs were kept on a leash, even though the reserves required that all dogs must be on a leash at all times.
The researchers created a model to see how many nutrients would be released along the paths if all the canine visitors were leashed, and the result was staggering. If all the dogs who visited the reserve were leashed, over 175kg of nitrogen and 73 kilogram of phosphorus would be added along the paths every year! To put that into perspective, those levels of nitrogen and phosphorus would be over the legal limits for fertilisation of agricultural land!
Even when dogs are banned from the area, it can take years for the increased level of nutrients to return back to its original levels.
However, the researcher’s model suggests that the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution could be greatly reduced if dog owners took two actions.
Owners can help reduce their dog’s pollution by keeping their dog leashed at all times in the reserves, and by taking the time to pick up their dog’s excrement.
However, the researchers’ model suggests that there are steps that the dog owners could take to reduce the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. Firstly, dog owners could keep their dog leashed at all times in the reserves. And secondly, the owners should take the time to pick up their dog’s excrement. The study suggests that if the owners took these two actions, the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution could be reduced by 56% and 97% respectively.
It just goes to show how important it is to clean up after our dogs and keep them on a leash when we’re in natural parks and reserves. Letting our pets roam free is probably damaging the environment more than we realise.
Pollution, not fertiliser.
Even though dog excrements are packed with nitrogen and phosphorus, they are actually considered more as pollution rather than fertiliser. When the soil becomes overly saturated with nutrients, it can actually be detrimental to the local ecosystem rather than beneficial. For instance, plant diversity actually decreases when nitrogen levels increase. Adding too much phosphorus into the soil can decrease the land area where endangered plant species thrive.
This is because high nutrient levels can accelerate plant growth, but only for the plants that require a lot of nutrients. This will help the nutrient demanding plants outcompete their neighbours. Over time, this will reduce the number of less nutrient-demanding plants, and the overall plant diversity in the area.
Better enforcement
While we undoubtedly love our pooches, we have to realise that they are a source of pollution around the world. Thus, it is our responsibility to tackle this issue early before it turns into a major problem.
Increasing the number of bins in the area may encourage people to dispose of their dog’s droppings properly
For example, parks and natural reserves need greater enforcement of laws to force owners to keep their pets on a leash and to clean up after their dogs. Rangers could also increase the number of bins in the area to encourage people to dispose of the droppings properly. Finally, the government should provide more off-leash dog parks where pets can roam freely to alleviate the pressure off the natural lands that we are trying to preserve.
After all, our dogs have to do their business somewhere.
