The Scoop on Pet Poop – please pick up after your pet!

Help keep your neighborhood and San Mateo County safe and sanitary by picking up pet waste. Pet waste contains harmful bacteria like E. coli and parasites that put the health of animals and humans at risk, pollute our environment, and creates a health hazard for our waterways.

Be a responsible pet owner by following these guidelines:

1. 💩 All pet poop pollutes. Dogs aren’t the only furry companions that need to be cleaned up after. Remember to pick up after all pets including dogs, cats, horses, and other household pets. Always carry poop bags to clean up after your pet. 🐶🐱🐴

2. 🐕  Poop bags belong in the trash, not on the trail. Always bring poop bags to pick up after your pet when you’re out and about. Remember, don’t leave bagged pet waste on the ground; throw it in the trash. Sign Flows to Bay’s Scoop the Poop Pledge for a chance to win a free poop bag dispenser.

3. 🚫 Compost and Poop Don’t Mix. Contrary to popular belief, pet waste is not compostable, and it should be bagged and thrown away in the garbage. While manure makes useful fertilizer, pet waste can cause diseases in humans.

4.🤝 Share and Care

Let your family, friends, and neighbors know about the harmful effects pet waste has on the environment. Carry extra bags with you when walking and offer them to other pet owners who don’t have a bag. 

Environmental Health Services Spotlight: Water Protection Program

Coastal Cleanup is on the horizon 🌅, but how does San Mateo County Environmental Health Services (EHS) care for beaches and waterways 🌊 year-round?

💧 EHS staff and volunteers collect water samples from recreational waters around the County along the oceanside and bayside each Monday.

🔬These samples are analyzed for fecal-indicator bacteria including Total Coliforms, E. coli, and Enterococci by the San Mateo County Public Health Laboratory.

🛑 The results are then used by EHS to evaluate the need to post warning signs at locations with bacteria levels that exceed State thresholds. These findings may also be used to investigate potential sources of pollution.

Interested in a career that protects people 👪 and the environment 🌄? Explore the EHS Water Protection Program webpage here, and contact GJSmith@smcgov.org to schedule an informational interview. To learn more about the weekly beach and creek mouth monitoring and volunteer opportunities, check out the beach webpage and their newsletter!

Stella, one of Environmental Health Services’ Water Protection Program staff, collects water samples to be tested.

You don’t have to be part of the EHS team to help protect your favorite water spots!

🙋Volunteer for Coastal Cleanup this September! Remove litter before it makes its way to a storm drain. Register with a group or go solo – visit smchealth.org/ccd.

🐶🐱Pick up pet waste during walks and in your own yard, especially before a storm ☔. Take Flows To Bay’s Scoop the Poop Pledge for a chance to win a free pet canister.

🚽 If you have a septic system, ensure that you inspect and pump your tank every 3-5 years to ensure it is working properly.

❌ Do not put anything into storm drains and call your city’s public works department if you see illegal dumping.

🐌🌱 Limit or eliminate your use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers as they can leach into the watershed and pollute recreational waters.

Thank you for doing your part to care for your community and the environment. 🌍