by Rosemary Parker

The long, snowy winter has left many pet owners with a disagreeable spring chore -- cleaning up after their dogs and cats now that the snow has melted. Picking up what pets have left behind in the yard is chore enough. Figuring out the responsible way to dispose of it may be worse.

While many recommend flushing, that's not a good idea when it comes to sewer maintenance, especially in areas served by on-site septic systems, local health officials say.

Hosing down the grass and washing the dissolved feces down the driveway is not a good solution either because of the potential for contamination of streams and lakes as runoff enters storm sewers.

So what is the solution? Homeowners are allowed to bury pet waste, although that's not always a practical solution with the accumulation of a winter's worth of feces and wet spring soils. Since pet waste can be disposed of legally in a landfill, scooping and bagging it and throwing it out with the household garbage is an option, as long as it is allowed by the homeowner's garbage hauler.

And if picking up poop is too odious to consider, homeowners can opt for spring cleanup services that will take care of the whole chore. A final option: Do nothing at all and allow the piles of waste to degrade with spring rains.

But urine salts pose more of a threat to lawns, he said, especially if pets have repeatedly visited the same part of the yard. It is recommended to thoroughly water the area to wash away accumulated salts. If the grass doesn't grow, turn over the soil and reseed it with rye grass or another quick-growing seed.


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Shit Happens. Dog Poo Bags by Junge Schactel, the design duo from Berlin, Nina Dautzenberg and Andrea Gadesmann. According to their site, these are most hygenic and environmentally-friendly bags to dispose of your doggie's leftovers. Colorful and humorous, they are ideal way to carry precious substances to the the nearby garbage bin. And how adorable is there pup, Cuno?



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By Melissa Repko, The Buffalo News

Wine-colored drapes and vases of flowers evoke a solemn tone for visitors who walk through the doors of Orchard Park’s newest funeral home.But the miniature dog statue and pawprint-covered urns reveal that this is different from other funeral homes. This is a place where pet owners can come to say goodbye to a beloved animal. The home, which opened July 14, provides all types of products and services, from selling caskets to cremating animals. The Waleses sell urns, self-help books and pet-themed sympathy cards. Urns start at $5 and go up to $150. The more expensive urns are made of wood or are crafted locally, Mona Wales said. There are also urns that are biodegradable and sprout flowers in the spring. Full story...

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