Pet waste is a significant contributor to pollution in Maine’s waterways because it is often too densely packed with contaminants to be safely absorbed by the environment. As a result, when pet waste sinks into groundwater or is washed into waterways by stormwater, it harms both the environment and community health.

Throughout the summer, interns from Bates College surveyed 15 popular dog parks throughout Southern Maine. First, they recorded and removed all pet waste at the survey sites to establish a cleanliness baseline, and then returned to each site two weeks later to track how much new pet waste had appeared. Next, they analyzed trends in dog owner behavior, identified problematic sites, and proposed recommendations for infrastructural adjustments.

The Goal: to raise awareness about the pet waste problem and keep Maine’s waterways clean