Hey Portland Pups!

Did you know you also play a role in protecting Portland’s streams?

Your waste has lots of nutrients, bacteria, viruses, and pathogens that can be carried away in the next storm to City streams. When going on walks around your neighborhood or in your favorite City park, make sure your human brings at least 3 pet waste bags to pick up your waste. Then the most important part, make sure your human carries that bag home with you to throw away.

Help us prevent poo-llution!

A black tied plastic bag resting on the pavement near a curb with grass and a body of water in the background.
Steel drain cover on asphalt, with a yellow painted parking space marking partially visible at the top, and a small pile of animal droppings nearby.
A rusty, old metal water fountain with trash hanging from it, located at the edge of a sidewalk with a yellow curb and storm drain nearby.
A muddy area with discarded crumpled paper and trash among dry weeds and twigs.
A storm drain pipe with a metal grate cover surrounded by rocks and green vegetation.

When bagged and unbagged dog waste gets left behind, it washes into our storm drains where we have to clean it out to keep things from clogging. The waste can also be carried through the pipes to pollute our streams.

A digital graphic with a dark blue background and scattered paw prints, featuring a cartoon Boston Terrier puppy. The text reads, 'Can you stop your dog from creating poo-llution?' and includes logos of Portland City, Greener Neighborhoods, and Cumbe
A public service infographic with a blue background and paw print designs, providing tips to prevent dog-related pollution, including cleaning up after your dog and disposing of dog waste responsibly.
Illustration of a dog sitting on a blue background with light blue paw prints. Text reads: "Did you know? Dog poop contains harmful bacteria and pathogens that can make you and your dogs sick. It can also contribute to harmful algal blooms in our loc
A public service poster with the message 'Always scoop it. Bag it. Trash it.' showing two people cleaning up after their dogs in a park, with trees, a trash bin, and small paw print decorations. Logos of Portland, neighborhood cleaner streams, soil,
Person in a red winter coat walking a white dog along a snow-covered path lined with leafless trees and bushes on a bright, sunny winter day.

Ways to Protect Winter Paws

Winter salt is bad for paws and City streams. Ask your human to switch from road salt to:

Ingesting winter salt can lead to upset stomachs, vomiting, diarrhea, and chemical burns. Have your human call your vet if you ate salt or salty snow.

Other pawesome winter tips include:

  • After a walk, have your human soak your paws in warm water or wipe with a warm wash cloth to rinse any salt off.

  • Ask your human to check your paws for sores, cuts, or irritation.

  • Wear well-fitting paw booties (silly dance is optional).

  • Have your human apply a paw wax for extra protection.