All dogs harbor a so-called coliform  bacteria that can make people, especially kids, sick. The bacterium includes E. Coli and Salmonella, which can be harmful to both pets and people. Cat feces can also be hazardous as it may contain parasites such as roundworms and toxoplasmosis, which can adversley affect humans and other animals. Pets, kids playing where animals frequently defecate, and adults who garden are most at risk to some form of infection from animal waste (some cats enjoy using gardens as a litter box!). 

• When walking your pet, bring an eco-friendly bag, such as a used bread or grocery bag
• Carry an extra bag to avoid being caught off guard or to give to someone that appears to have forgotten their bag—one to care and one to share
• Dispose of pet waste properly–in the trash, not down the toilet
• If you live in a home with a yard, try to clean up pet waste at least once weekly
• For gardners having issues with cat defecation in their plot, try laying 1-inch chicken wire over the soil bed
• Provide litter boxes for outdoor cats to reduce waste where people may be exposed to it
  

Animals are not the largest or most toxic pollutant in urban waterways, but their waste is one of the many little sources of pollution that adds up to the big problem. While this is a small piece of the environmental puzzle, it adds up when you take into account that

• Four in 10 households own at least one dog, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association and 40 percent of them do not pick up their dogs' feces.
  

• Double bag cat litter or dog waste, tie it securely and dispose of it in the garbage
• Bury pet waste in your yard making sure the hole is at least one foot deep and 100 feet from any well, stream, ditch or lake
• Install a pet waste decomposer available at many local retailers or online. These systems work like mini septic tanks to break down pet waste to a ground absorbing liquid
• Hire a pet waste pick-up service to do the work for you—try the local phone book for available companies

Failure to pick up your pet's waste on public ways, recreation areas, or private property could result in a fine as stated in Orange County Code Section 5-42. The fines can range from $84.00 to $110.00.