Emporium: Alwaysgreendogs "Be Green & Be Seen!"

OK pet owners and dog lovers of the world, we are now going to discus the proper "technique" of DOG WALKING!

Nothing can compare to the feeling of walking barefoot through the grass on a warm spring day...and stepping in a huge pile of fresh dog poop. Let's face it; the refusal of many dog owners to remove their pets' waste from public property does nothing to improve the opinion of our furry friends. The bigger the dog, the more noticeable the offense. There is nothing more annoying, than stepping into a fresh, gooey pile of poo (especially with those fab new shoes). And what about going over a pile with your lawn mower? That will make your day.

Here are some IMPORTANT FACTS of "dog waste" to consider, before you walk away from that pile of poo on the ground.

• According to the American Kennel Club, there are at least 50 million registered dogs in the USA (not to mention those unregistered).
• Dogs produce more than 5,000 tons of waste in the USA daily (that's everyday people).

Not only is it smelly and offensive we now know that our pets' feces is a health hazard. There are millions of bacteria and harmful parasites in a single gram of poop. And there are several diseases that can be transmitted to other dogs and people through feces. These include Giardia, roundworms, hookworms, Salmonella, and E.coli.

Did you know one heavily infected puppy can pass over a million roundworm eggs everyday? In addition, your dog can spread or contract parvovirus through infected feces. Parvovirus can KILL an unimunized puppy in a week or less. If left on the street or ground, these bacteria then go into the storm water run off and eventually OUR DRINKING WATER RESERVOIRS.

There is also the issue of fly control. Flies consume and lay eggs in feces. Those same flies then come into your house and spread the risk of disease as they land on your food and counter tops. Need we say more about keeping dog poo cleaned up to prevent this cycle??

One of the easiest ways to prevent the spread of disease and pesty flies, is to simply "clean up after your dog!"

Come on people, be responsible pet owners! Clean up after your pet every time they go potty. Period. No exceptions.