Pet Waste

Bull Dog Standing in a  BackyardPick Up Pet Waste In Your Yard

When walking your pet, remember to pick up the waste and dispose of it properly. That means by placing it in a bag and then into a trash bag (double bagging) or by flushing it into the sanitary sewer system.

Community-wide, the average pet produces about a quarter of a pound of waste per day. Forsyth County has over 39,000 licensed dogs. That adds up to over 9,750 pounds of doggy do on our lawns each and every day - or 3,558,750 pounds a year! That can wash into the storm drains and eventually, our drinking water: and that’s just in Forsyth County!

Each gram of pet waste contains about 20 million colonies of e. coli bacteria and other pathogens. Pollution starts at the top of the watershed and builds up along the way to the ocean. This contributes to beach closings at the coast and shellfish bed closings. Remember, clean water must be everyone’s responsibility.

Sign Explaining a City Ordinance Requires Dog Owners to Pick up After Their PetsPledges

Take the pledge today and protect our water quality.