What is this project about?
Fleas, ticks and worms are parasites that dog owners must be mindful of for their pets. Vets often advise a prophylactic use of flea and tick treatments monthly to prevent the opportunity of parasitic activity, applied orally or topically. However, recent research has highlighted that using flea treatments like this is causing detrimental impacts to the environment.
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Flea and tick treatments are insecticides that target invertebrates. The active ingredient in several popular brands are imidacloprid or fipronil, both chemicals that have been banned in the EU for agricultural use due to the human health risks and toxicity to pollinators (e.g. 1 gram of imidacloprid is enough to give a lethal dose to 250 million honey bees).
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Recent research by scientists, including Buzz Club Director Prof. Dave Goulson, has shown that the chemicals in flea treatments come off pets and remain active in the environment for weeks!
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There are identified gaps in our understanding of the fate of veterinary treatments in the environment. Pet Waste Watch will look into whether the presence of flea treatments or other drugs effects the degradation of dog faeces. Not a glamourous project, but an important one!
How can you help?
Faecal waste from dogs is considered to be 'offensive waste' in the UK due to the risks of contamination it provides to the environment via a) pathogens and natural chemical composition e.g. high nitrogen levels b) contamination via veterinary treatments.
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We want to look at the speed at which dog poo breaks down naturally outdoors, and how this relates to the insecticidal treatments that the dog has received. Do these treatments slow down the process? Are the invertebrates that play important roles in decomposition affected?
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We are asking dog owners to:
- Register your dog as a citizen scientist with us!
- Record the degradation weekly of one of your dog's poos.
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There will be lots of fun along the way including a 'Dogs as Scientists' photo competition!
What do you get out of it?
By taking part in this project, you will be contributing towards a very important area of research. During this project you will gain more environmental awareness as a pet owner, as well as learning more about the important decomposers in our ecosystem.