Written by Jeanette Lutter-Gardella
Being a dog owner can bring so much joy to your life but also comes with many responsibilities, and let’s be honest, they aren’t all fun! Even though picking up pet waste is not anyone’s favorite task it is certainly better than swimming in it.
If you have ever seen pet waste on your walk or a trail, not only is it gross, but that waste washes into nearby storm drains in streets and directly into our lakes, rivers and streams. This untreated waste adds excess nutrients into the water, which can cause algae blooms and make water unpleasant or unsafe for swimming. Dog waste has been declared a “nonpoint source of pollution” (NPS) by the Environmental Protection Agency because it pollutes watersheds and water bodies. That puts pet waste in the same category as oil and toxic chemicals.
Pet waste also pollutes the water with harmful bacteria such as E. coli. Bacteria in the water can cause beach closures and transmit diseases that threaten the health of people, pets and wildlife.
To help ensure clean water and reduce the amount of NPS pollution within the city, the Environmental Operations division of the MPRB launched the program “Canines for Clean Water” to encourage dog owners to do their part in keeping water resources safe for drinking and swimming.
This is why picking up your pet waste, though it can seem insignificant, is a big deal. Not only does it make you a responsible pet owner, but it helps protect water quality and public health. Not to mention, it’s the law. Help keep our waters safe for swimming and fishing this summer by scooping that poop!
Learn more at minneapolisparks.org/dogs, westmetrowateralliance.org/pet-waste, or #scoopthepoopmpls.
We hope to see you on Thursday, August 29 when Canines for Clean Water presents the movie The Little Mermaid (2023), North Minneapolis Regional Park. Dog event at 6:30-7:45 p.m., movie starts at dusk.
Starting at 6:30 p.m. come to N. Mississippi Regional Park to visit with local My Pit Bull is Family’s Mobile Pet Resource Center as well as Brooklyn Park Subaru, Chuck & Don’s Minneapolis Uptown, Minneapolis Animal Care and Control, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, Freshwater Society, Scruff Life Photography and an adoption event with RPAW Rescue! Also joining us will be local artist and mermaid, Phyllis Chatham!
Kroening Nature Center August programs
Nature Tots: Bunches of Butterflies · Saturday August 3, 10:30-11:30 am | Free | Ages 2-5 with an adult | Activity #6453 | It’s Monarch time! Find out how these beautiful butterflies grow from teeny tiny egg to marvelous migrating adults. Go on a prairie adventure in search of fluttering wings with a naturalist. This is a child/adult interactive program.
Summer Tree ID · Saturday August 10, 1:00-2:30pm | $5/person | Ages 18+ | Activity #9956 | Learn how to use a dichotomous key and identify trees by their leaves. Then walk through the park with a naturalist to learn more about the species you identify.
Family Fundays: Dragonflies · Saturday August 10, 10:30am-noon | Free | All Ages | Activity #6473 | Learn about the life cycle, behavior, and bodies of these amazing predators. Join a naturalist on a hunt to snag dragonflies. Make a dragonfly craft to take home.
Summer Birding · Saturday August 17, 9:00-10:30am | $5/person | Ages 18+ | Activity #9955 | Learn distinguishing characteristics of birds found in the park, including plumage, bird songs and calls, and behavior, while strolling with a naturalist through the park. All experience levels welcome.
Nature Art: Create with Grasses · Saturday August 17, 1:30-2:30 pm | Free | All Ages | Activity #6488 | Take a walk to collect prairie grasses to use for art. Add your touch to a group art project and make a woven decoration to take home.
Adventure Hub Highlight: River Exploration · Saturday August 24, 1-2 pm | Free | All Ages | Activity #6480 | Go on a walk with a naturalist to observe who lives in the river and how it shapes the landscape, then check out an Adventure Hub kit to explore the river on your own.