Survey On Poop: Half Don’t Scoop

Research conducted in North Carolina shows that nearly half of dog owners do not pick up their dog’s waste, although surrounding community ordinances often require the removal of companion animal waste. Women, those ages 18-24, and those aged 65 and older are most likely to pick up their dog’s waste.

In North Carolina, 47% of urban dog-walkers, 49% in the suburbs, and 59% in rural areas say they rarely or never pick up after their dog, according to this 2005 survey conducted by the state. An estimated 1.8 million dogs currently live in North Carolina and they deposit 681 tons of dog waste per day.

People aged 35 to 54 are least likely to pick up after their companion animals. Women were more likely than men to scoop it up. The survey found that 35% of women report that they always or often pick up waste, compared with 28% of men. About 57% of men said they rarely or never picked it up, compared with 46% of women.