A Safety Warning for Composting Pet Poop

Composting dog poop and cat poop? Yeah, it’s a thing. And to many, it might seem like a logical idea. After all, we use cow and pig poop as manure. However, improperly composting dog and cat poop can be dangerous. It’s especially hazardous if used as manure for edible plants.

The Possible Dangers of Composting Dog Poop

There are several reasons why we throw out dog waste and don’t leave it around or immediately add it to our gardens:

• Dog poop can pollute surface and groundwater.
• It smells bad.
• Dog feces can attract flies and pests.
• It can create dangerous living conditions for our pooches.
• Dog feces can transmit harmful parasites and infectious diseases.
• Compost bins also harbor mold and fungus spores which can cause allergic reactions.

Flies may not seem like such a bad addition to your garden, but dog waste can carry parasites that are a much bigger danger to humans. These pests include roundworms and ascarids – the number one danger associated with composting dog poop. Not only can they be ingested, but they can also lay and hatch eggs in the human intestine.

This affliction is called Visceral Larval Migrans. The eggs then migrate through the afflicted person’s bloodstream, attaching to the liver, lungs and other organs. The eggs can even stick to the retina, a condition called Ocular Larval Migrans, which can cause blindness. Allergic reactions are also possible. And all compost bins contain fungus spores and mold, which might cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

The Potential Hazards of Composting Cat Poop

Composting cat poop can also be dangerous, if not more hazardous than adding dog poop to your compost bin! Cat feces can pass on toxoplasmosis. This illness is harmful to anyone, but can also cause serious issues in pregnant women. The disease can harm the nervous system’s of a fetus, causing brain damage, blindness or other afflictions.

The Toxoplasma gondii parasite eggs can stay alive in the soil for as longs as 18 months. While the parasite can only be carried by cats, the eggs can also harm humans, pigs, cows and other mammals. So animals who eat improperly composted cat feces can become infected. Then if humans eat the undercooked meat of infected animals, those humans can catch the disease.

Thanks for reading! Again, all these hazards are great reasons why you should properly dispose of soiled cat litter and pick up your dog’s poop!