Disposing of their dog's waste is a problem for dog owners. Opinions differ on the question of whether dog waste is allowed in the compost. However, for hygienic reasons, you should not compost the feces but rather dispose of them in another way.
Can dog poop go in the compost?
Dog feces should not be put on the compost for hygienic reasons, as it smells unpleasant, contains parasites and possibly drug residues and the temperatures generated during rotting are not sufficient to kill harmful organisms.
Can dog poop go in the compost?
Basically, dog poop is an organic material that decomposes and becomes humus. However, it is not advisable to dispose of dog waste in the compost. There are various reasons for this:
- Dog poop stinks
- contains parasites
- may contain medication
Occasionally throwing a “dog sausage” onto the compost pile is certainly not that tragic. However, the feces should not be composted regularly. This is especially true if the dog has been treated with medication such as antibiotics.
Many garden owners find the very idea of digging around with their hands in compost made from dog poop very unpleasant.
Why are you allowed to compost manure and not dog poop?
Fertilization with manure from cattle, horses and sheep is practiced on a large scale. Why are these materials allowed to be composted and dog waste not?
Very high temperatures are created when the manure rots. The heat kills bacteria and worms. After the rotting process, this compost no longer contains any harmful components.
It's different with dog poop. The dog is a carnivore, unlike cattle, horses and sheep. When dog excrement rots, the temperatures are not as high as those of herbivores. Due to the low temperatures, worms and other parasites are not effectively killed and may later be contained in the humus.
Burying dog poop in the garden
If you want to clean up dog waste in an environmentally friendly way, simply bury it in the ground, for example in a flower bed or under trees. It rots quickly there. This way it doesn't attract flies, mosquitoes or other unwanted insects.
However, you should not dispose of dog waste in beds with vegetables or fruit.
Tip
You should be careful when composting cat litter, even if it is compostable litter. The cat's droppings may contain parasites that do not decompose in the compost.
