What to do with all that poop? If you have a dog and a yard, you’ve probably wondered at some point, “Is there a better way to dispose of all the little landmines left by man’s best friend?”  Well, if you’ve just been sending turds off to the local landfill along with the rest of your garbage, Alas! There is a better way!

If you haven’t heard of it already, there’s an on-site pet waste disposal system known as the Doggie Dooley, which basically functions as a septic tank for your pets’ backyard droppings.  I first found out about this while visiting my local pet store and thought, “Wow, that makes a lot of sense but is it really environmentally friendly or is this just another case of corporate green-washing?”

So what’s a Doggie Dooley and how does it work? The Doggie Dooley basically functions on the same premise as a septic tank, collecting organic waste and breaking it down into a liquid form that can be drained and absorbed by the ground below, with the assistance of bacterial and enzymatic additives.  Set up is relatively simple: Dig a hole in the ground, set the tank in the hole, and start filling it with feces.  They recommend adding a quart to one gallon of water to the tank on a daily basis along with their “Super Digester” (also called “Waste Terminator” – “I’ll be back!”) enzymes to facilitate the breakdown of waste.  Also, keep in mind that the breakdown of waste only takes place in temperatures over 40 degrees and is more effective, the warmer it gets.  There’s even a handy foot pedal to open and close the lid without bending over!

Are the Doggie Dooley chemicals and enzymes safe for the environment? This was our big question upon finding the system as the overall concept of on-site waste disposal is clearly beneficial to the environment (no plastic bags in landfills, no carbon fuels to transport the waste, no mixture with other toxic chemicals in landfills, etc.).  Think how many millions of dogs pooping everyday of the year a few times (let’s say 50 million times 3 x 365 = lots of bags, lots of poop, lots of wasted fuel and landfill space!

So back to the additive — is it safe?  Well, from all the research we found, the “Super Digester” is nothing more than basic septic powder similar to Rid-X.  So basically, you’re looking at more of a biological additive (enzyme based powder) that facilitates poop-eating bacteria as opposed to a chemical one.  Based on this, we approve it as being eco-friendly.  Find more information at Doctors Foster and Smith.

Looking for a DIY (Do It Yourself) doggie septic tank, try this! Find a small garbage can with lid and drill out many small one-inch holes in the bottom with a drill or jigsaw.  Dig a hole in your back yard (preferably in a far corner or low-traffic area) approximately the same size as the can and place it in the hole.  Fill the bottom with gravel followed by larger stones.  Enter poop, water, and Rid-X and you’ve got your own pet septic tank for probably under $20!  Sure, you don’t have the handy foot-operated opener like on the Doggie Dooley but aside from that and some other niceties of the Dooley, they’ll be pretty darn close, and for a fraction of the price!

EHI There!  Have a tip for greening your pet’s life or reducing their carbon footprint?  Tell us about it below!

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