Seacoast beaches are permeated with dog poop.

A new dog waste outreach program from the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation encourages pet owners to clean up after their dogs. With funding and technical assistance from the N.H. Department of Environmental Services, the Blue Ocean Society and its volunteers hope to clear the state’s shoreline of unsightly and environmentally detrimental detritus.

Members of the Blue Ocean Society first became aware that dog waste was a problem last winter, during one of their monthly beach cleanups at Jenness Beach in Rye. “I just remember, in the middle of the winter, every five feet there was a pile of dog poop,” said Jen Kennedy, director and outreach coordinator for the Blue Ocean Society. “It was just all over the place, and basically, we got really grossed out by it.”

In addition to creating an unsightly stain on beaches, dog waste can carry a number of harmful bacteria and pathogens, like E. coli and giardia. If these microbial menaces find their way into local waterways, they can poison drinking water and impact swimming locations. An abundance of dog waste can also lead to the closure of shellfish beds.

Dog waste is also a threat to rivers and streams. In 2004, a study conducted by the DES and the University of New Hampshire discovered an abundance of fecal bacteria at several sites in the Great Bay watershed. Scientists used microbial source tracking to determine where large quantities of bacteria were coming from in a small tributary of the Bellamy River in Dover. Dogs were the most likely suspects, researchers found. The Garrison Road neighborhood, which borders the Bellamy River, had hundreds of dogs registered in Dover.

The study was used to develop a number of outreach tactics, along with an outreach manual, which the Blue Ocean Society drew from in designing its campaign.

After completing the study, the DES presented its findings to a group of residents and asked them what would be the best way to design an outreach program. The residents suggested sidewalk stencils encouraging residents not to throw dog waste down storm drains. They also distributed door hangers, worked with the local press and organized an art and slogan contest among local kids. The winning entry was used as a brand for the campaign and went on T-shirts, brochures and fliers.

The campaign was so successful that residents pushed to expand the program into a citywide effort. In 2006, several neighborhoods took up the cause. The DES was pleased and surprised at how well the program worked in Dover. The department came up with a manual and grant program to help other towns follow Dover’s lead.

“We wanted them to use Dover and our guide as a model, but adapt the project to the social and environmental dynamics of their particular town,” said Sally Soule, coordinator of the DES project.

Five applicants received grants, ranging from $2,000 to $12,000. Along with the Blue Ocean Society, Greenland, Somersworth, Seabrook and Exeter received financial and technical assistance from the DES. 

The Blue Ocean Society will put the money toward adding a dog poop category to its data cards, which are used to track what kinds of waste wash up on New Hampshire’s shores. The group also plans to hand out biodegradable dog-waste bags and dog biscuits, which were donated by The Bark and Biscuit in Stratham. But, the most important step will be talking to dog owners about cleaning up after their pets.

Unlike Dover’s dog waste program, the Blue Ocean Society’s initiative covers a regional area, instead of one municipality. According to Soule, partnerships are key to dealing with this issue. Fortunately, it’s a problem that is usually easy to address.
“In terms of management, dog waste is kind of a low hanging fruit. It’s easy to know who the owners are, a lot of people can rally around it, everyone has a dog waste story and it’s just the right thing to do,” Soule said. “Why leave poop in public?” 
“Hopefully the dog waste will decrease, but there are always new dog owners and new people moving into the area,” Kennedy said. If the initial program is successful, the society hopes to get corporate and community sponsors to help carry the program forward after funding ends next December.

The Blue Ocean Society’s next beach cleanup will take place on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 10:30 a.m. It usually takes about an hour, Kennedy said. The Nov. 17 cleanup will also include a food drive to benefit the Seacoast Family Food Pantry. Between the adopt-a-beach program and the beach cleanups, Kennedy estimates that volunteers comb beaches for trash from Southern Maine and throughout New Hampshire almost 200 times per year.

“We’re always looking for help with beach cleanups and the adopt-a-beach program. There are a lot of volunteer opportunities that are pretty easy and short, but can make a definite difference in the marine environment,” Kennedy said.

The society is also looking for submissions to its art logo and slogan contest for the dog waste campaign. Children in kindergarten through eighth grade can submit entries through Nov. 16. Interested participants should visit the Blue Ocean Society’s Web site, www.blueoceansociety.org, for more information about the contest and volunteering.