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That moment when you're out walking your dog and they suddenly squat right in the middle of
the path... we've all been there. It's an inevitable part of dog ownership, but that doesn't mean we have to like it. Carrying around a stinky bag of dog poop is not only gross, but it can be really inconvenient. Trying to juggle a leash, your dog, and a bag of poop is not always easy.
That's where PupPouch comes in!
PupPouch was created in April 2021 by Emma, a dog lover from Halifax, West Yorkshire. Emma came up with the idea when she was working as a dog walker and got fed up with having to carry around stinky bags of poop.
The PupPouch is a smell-containing, reusable bag that you can attach to your belt or backpack to make walking your dog a little bit easier (and less smelly). The best part is that it' s totally discreet, so you don't have to worry about looking like a crazy person walking around with a bag of poop in your pocket! They’re made from a durable PCV material which can easily be washed, but for daily use all you need is to leave them open to air out after use. If you’ve ever had a poop bag split on you, you’ll probably agree that having a safe place to store those poop parcels while on the move is a blessing! It also means they make a great partner for biodegradable poop bags - which are better for the environment, yet arguably a lot more flimsy (and less trustworthy in the splitting department).
In this blog post, we're going to tell you a bit more about PupPouch and how it can make your life as a dog owner a whole lot easier. But first, let's get to know the effects of poop on the environment.
The Effects of Poop on The Environment:
In the UK, alone, there are an estimated 13 million dogs kept as pets. This number has seen a marked increase in the past decade, with the population nearly doubling from 7.6 million in 2010/11. It' s no surprise then that there is also a large amount of dog poop being produced every day - an estimated 1,106 kilograms in London alone.
I’m sure we’ve all come across dog poop on footpaths and seen bags dangling from tree’s. Aside from the blight on communities and inconsiderate nature of leaving dog poop behind in shared spaces, there are the unseen effects of dog poop on the environment.
A person who throws a full bag of poop over the hedge to avoid carrying it, may not realize it’s just landed in a field occupied by livestock. Horses and cows and even deer are attracted to the cereal remains of dog food found in their poop, and will eat the bags out of interest. Sadly there are multiple cases of animals choking on or getting internal blockages and dying from ingesting poop bags.
Each dog produces an average of 127kg of poop a year, meaning the UK’s 13 million dogs are cranking out a whopping 1.65 Million tonnes of it a year! The methane emissions from all that dog poop are significant. In London alone an estimated 23,363 tonnes of methane is produced each year - which is equivalent to the weight of 4 elephants! Methane is a greenhouse gas that is about 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide when it comes to trapping heat in the atmosphere. So all that dog poop is actually contributing to climate change.
A staggering 41% of dog owners don't even bother to clean up after their pets, leaving the poop to decompose and release that methane directly into the atmosphere.
But it's not just the methane emissions that are a problem. According to the Centres for Disease Control, dog poop contains a number of bacteria, parasites and other diseases that can be transmitted to humans (such as E.coli and salmonella).
When it rains, poop breaks down and gets washed into water ways; eventually ending up in our oceans, rivers, and streams. This can lead to the contamination of our water supplies and the spread of diseases. Dogs need a high-protein diet, and the process of breaking down all that protein creates nitrogen as a byproduct. High levels of Nitrogen and Phospherous are found in dog poop which can be damaging to ecosystems as it over fertilizes areas and creates imbalances in nutrient levels.
The guardian reported that “most ecosystems are naturally low nutrient environments and overfertilisation reduces biodiversity by allowing a few thriving plants, such as nettles and hogweed, to drive out others and the wildlife that depends on them”.
Contamination of water can also lead to algae blooms in lakes and ponds which thrive on nitrogen, and can alter the habitat of fish and plants. Exposure to blue green algae can be dangerous, and can cause skin irritation to vomiting.
From livestock casualties, to climate change, to eco system destabilisation: leaving behind dogs poop is having more of an impact than you’d imagine.
So, what can be done about all this dog poop?
Well, for starters, dog owners need to be more responsible and clean up after their pets. Simply taking your dogs poop home with you means you won’t inadvertently kill someone's pet horse, and reduces nitrogen contamination in eco systems. You can battle climate change by making sure poop is disposed of properly.
We talked a lot about methane emissions, but it is possible to stop this methane release from happening. Scooby's Dog Waste Removal - (a company in Vancouver, Canada) collects dog poop from designated bins around the city and then processes it in a specialised facility. The waste gets separated from the bags and loaded into 10,000 litre tanks, where it's mixed with water and enzymes and then agitated by air bubbles for a week. It is then taken to a Wastewater Treatment Plant where it gets turned into a type of soil fertilizer and the methane emitted is turned into biogas that powers the plant. Bill Droeske, the owner of Scooby's Dog Waste Removal estimates they are only processing 5-10% of dog waste in Vancouver and the rest is still going to landfill. More needs to be done by our governments to provide bins and processing facilities.
If your local council has a dog poop processing facility and dog waste bins make use of them so that it doesn’t end up in landfill.. If that isn’t available in your area, digging a hole and composting your dog’s poop at home is a great option (just make sure it’s far away from any food you might be growing).
Biodegradable bags are a great option, as they will decompose in just a few months. However, it's important to make sure that they are disposed of properly, in the correct bin or compost heap. Regular plastic bags can take hundreds of years to decompose, so they should be avoided if possible. By making some small changes, we can help to reduce the environmental impact of all that dog poop.
Why Use a PupPouch?
First and foremost, they’re the easiest way to get your dog’s waste out of the environment so it can do no harm there!
An eco-conscious new concept, PupPouches are reusable bags for carrying dog poop. They were designed to make picking up poop easy and pleasant, in turn reducing environmental impact. If carrying a PupPouch catches on as a trend, we could see a significant reduction in the number of people who don't pick up after their dogs which would be a win for the environment.
PupPouch owners simply pick up after their dogs as usual with a (biodegradable) poop bag, then plop it in the pup pouch, seal it, and enjoy their walk without thinking or smelling the waste! The PupPouch can be emptied into a bin or at home, rinsed with hot soapy water if needed, and aired out to be used again.
There are a few reasons why you might want to consider using a PupPouch instead of traditional methods for carrying dog poop (i.e. plastic bags). Here are some of the main benefits:
1. They're More Hygienic
PupPouches are made from PVC; an anti-microbial material that is resistant to bacteria and odors. This means that you won't have to worry about the bags getting smelly or attracting bugs. Sean McCormack, Head Vet at tails.com, said: “Dog poo isn’t just harmful to the environment in a number of ways, such as causing issues in the water supply but it also carries harmful bacteria and parasites, that can cause serious illness in ourselves, notably in the form of Toxocariasis.” This means that not only are PupPouches helpful for the environment, but they're also more hygienic for you and your dog.
2. They Help Reduce Plastic Pollution
Plastic poop bags can take hundreds of years to decompose, whereas biodegradable poop
bags can take only months to decompose (under specific composting conditions). While it
seems common sense that corn starch bags are better for the environment, they are thinner and
can split which is off putting to dog owners. This could be why we see people sticking with
plastic poop bags, but using a PupPouch means that’s not a worry anymore.
3. They're Convenient
The PupPocuh Mini is small enough to attach on your dog’s leash or your bag without noticing it’s there. The PupPouch Original converts between a hip bag and over the shoulder bag using the same strap, or it can be clipped directly onto backpacks. So no matter what your dog walking set up looks like, they adapt to fit into it.
They carry anywhere between 5-15 poops, so you’ll have plenty of room for your packs poops plus any litter you may find along the way!
They’re also waterproof so you don’t need to be put off picking up poop in the rain.
4. They Make Cleaning Up After Your Dog a Breeze
PupPouches make it easy to pick up dog poop and get rid of the nasty smell, which means that
you're less likely to leave it behind on walks. This helps to keep our parks and streets clean and
free of waste.
Never Worry About Dog Poop Again With Puppouches
If you're a dog owner, then you know that cleaning up after your pet can be a bit of a hassle. However it is important to do it; both for the environment and for public health. PupPouches make it easy to pick up dog waste and dispose of it properly, so you can enjoy your walks without having to worry about the mess.
Learn More Here
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