National Elk Refuge Press Release
JACKSON, Wyo. — On July 20, the National Elk Refuge (NER) will host a Scoop the Poop Night at the Teton County Library to discuss responsible recreation with pets.
The emphasis for the evening will be on dog waste.
“According to a study conducted in 2003 by Teton Conservation District, the
largest contributor of human-caused sources of E. Coli in Fish and Flat Creeks was dog waste,” a press release from the NER states.
The study found that 50% of the total E.Coli load originated from birds, rodents and deer/elk, and less than 20% of the E. Coli is attributed to human activities; 7% originated from dogs, 6% from wastewater, 4% from bovines and 2% from horses.
Scoop the Poop will include a Poop Pickup Relay Race, Poop Bag Cornhole and the opportunity to make a Used Poop Bag Carrier. Additionally, there will be opportunities to learn about the importance of wetlands and how furry friends can become a R.U.F.F Ranger.
The event will take place on Thursday, July 20, at 6 p.m. in the Ordway Auditorium. Although this event is focused on responsible recreation with pets, pets are not allowed in Teton County Library unless they are trained service animals.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect that although the 2003 study found that dog waste was the largest contributor of human-caused sources of E. Coli, dog waste only accounted for 7% of the total E. Coli load.
