Mutt Mitts:
PAWS initiated the Jackson Hole Mutt Mitt program in 2001 as a response to the growing population of dog owners and in dog waste on our trails and pathways. To date there are over 60 mutt mitt stations in Teton County serving over 10,000 dogs. The stations are paid for and maintained by PAWS, the Bridger-Teton National Forest Service, Parks & Recreation, Pathways, and individual neighborhoods. They are free to everyone.
PAWS has seen a dramatic decrease in the amount of dog waste in every location a mutt mitt station resides. We get letters and phone calls constantly from people who say what a difference this has made in the community.
In 2007, PAWS supplied over 100,000 mutt mitts to our community and sold 20 new Mutt Mitt stations to local neighborhoods!
If you are interested in sponsoring a Mutt Mitt station in your neighborhood – please call PAWS at 734-2441. This is an inexpensive way of supporting PAWS and to help keep Jackson beautiful!
The scoop on poop
Dog waste on the ground poses a greater environmental threat than poop that is disposed of safely in the trash. Poop left on the ground will flow directly into our lakes, ponds and streams. Leaving poop near water, on sloped ground, or on pavement is irresponsible and will result in water pollution. It can carry viruses and bacteria and increase the growth of damaging algae and aquatic weeds in our local waters.
Letting waste decompose “naturally” is not a good solution. Natural decomposition is a slow process. With the large number of dogs using off-leash areas, poop accumulates faster than it decomposes. This accumulation exposes pets to harmful parasites and our shoes, cars and homes to unpleasant poop contamination.
Disposing of poop in biodegradable mutt mitts is safe and environmentally friendly. The bags used in the mutt mitt dispensers are non-toxic, biodegradable and decompose with or without sunlight. They are safe in landfills or incinerators and the decomposition starts as soon as the mutt mitt is used.
With 10,000 dogs in our area, it is imperative that people pick up after them. This effort should begin in our neighborhoods and in our backyards.
If we allowed 10,000 dogs to poop twice a day without picking it up, in one year there would be 1.8 million pounds of dog waste on our trails and roads.
