Readers React: An idea for green-minded dog owners

To the editor: I enjoyed Judith Mernit’s article on the environmental cost of dog feces and found it interesting, entertaining and informative. That said, the piece was also depressing for those of us who love our pets and value a clean environment. (“Just how bad is your dog for the environment?,” Op-Ed, Nov. 1)

Clearly, one of the best things we can do as pet owners to help alleviate our guilt is not only to clean up after our pets but also to flush the waste instead of putting it in plastic bags and into the garbage. I wanted to share a simple idea with readers that I hope they will consider.

For eight years now, I have been picking up my dog’s waste with 100% recyclable toilet paper and flushing it. I’ll admit this is fairly easy for me since my dogs are less than 15 pounds; this might be an unattractive option for dogs bigger than 20 pounds.

Surprisingly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen another dog owner doing this.

Heath Finn, Calabasas

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