Doggy Doo Doo

Pet waste can have a negative effect on the environment, by spreading diseases to other pets and wildlife, contaminating water sources, and leaving hazards for others to dodge on sidewalks and in parks.

With about 14 million dogs in Canada, finding a way to divert the approximately 620,000 tonnes of waste rather than throwing the plastic bundles of poop in the garbage to break down anaerobically and contribute to climate change (which let’s face it, already has enough contributors) is a great and easy thing to do! 

When walking your dog, you can pick up the waste in a plastic bag then flush it when you get home (not the bag of course), or you can empty it into a pet waste digester. A digester allows your pet’s waste to be broken down by bacteria and micro-organisms in a contained area, reducing the harmful pathogens and contaminants, preventing these from being washed into our rivers and lakes, or leeching from landfills and contributing to climate change. Here’s how you do it: 

1. Place a garbage can with the bottom cut off and holes drilled in the sides in a hole you dig (be sure to call Manitoba Hydro and other utilities for line locating first!)
2. Place a layer of rocks at the bottom, add water and test for drainage. You will need to add some septic starter (enzymes and microbes) to start the decomposition process
3. Start adding your pet’s poo and put the lid back on. You should then monitor it and add some water, which also helps with the break down, and possibly more septic starter every week or as needed. If you aren’t able or willing to make your own system, there are pet waste digesters available to purchase.

Cat feces can also be added, but most websites recommend not adding urine with litter, as it will take a long time to break down. This is likely more applicable to clay based litters, so newspaper or corn based litter would likely be fine.

There should be no smell and most pet digesters are actually quite inconspicuous. Be sure to place it out of the sun if possible, and as far away from your vegetable crops as possible, as the plants could absorb pathogens if too close. Also, the end product is not like compost from your normal compost system, as it will not be safe to use to spread on your gardens. Because pet waste can be quite dangerous to handle, we don’t recommend you handle what comes out of the digester. Once your digester is full, stop adding pet waste, cover it up, and start a new system, leaving the first digester to “finish” for a few years, then just cover the opening with soil and grass seed. There are detailed instructions available on City Farmer’s website.