Bag And Bin It Program Started By Chattahoochee Conservancy Group

METRO ATLANTA, GA — The Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy is distributing "Bag and Bin It” backpacks to local pet shelters as part of their "Lead the Pack—Bag and Bin It" program to promote proper dog waste disposal in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and support shelter pet adoption.

Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy is the official nonprofit partner of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, which is part of the national park system. The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area encompasses 15 park units with 66 miles of trails along 48 miles of the Chattahoochee River in metro Atlanta and is the U.S.’s first National Water Trail.

Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy provides funding and volunteers to support park initiatives and promotes the stewardship of its natural and cultural resources.

With an extensive trail system, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area has over three million visitors every year, and many of them bring their dogs. Unfortunately, dog waste and dog waste bags are increasingly left on the ground throughout the park. Seventy percent of the Atlanta metro area’s drinking water comes from the Chattahoochee River, so dog waste containing deadly bacteria can enter the ecosystem and the water supply.

A multi-year study by the U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency investigated patterns in microbial source tracking within the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and found dogs are a primary contributor of fecal contamination in the Chattahoochee River within the national park.

Many pet owners do not understand these negative impacts on the park and the river, so the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy is educating dog owners about the ecological impacts of dog waste and promoting its proper disposal to protect the watershed and Atlanta’s drinking water supply.

Many people in the Atlanta area adopt their dogs from local pet shelters, and new pet owners may not realize they always need to carry waste bags when walking their dog, even in natural areas like the national park.

To support new pet owners and shelter adoption, Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy is distributing free Bag and Bin It educational kits to local pet shelters. The kits are designed for new pet owners to learn the importance of proper waste disposal and that dog waste disposal bins are available throughout the park.

Each kit includes a printed drawstring backpack, a dog-bone shaped waste bag dispenser with waste bags and a leash clip, a blinking dog-bone shaped collar clip, an informational card about how to properly dispose of dog waste and why it matters plus facts on protecting the watershed and the river. The informational card also has a map of the different Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area park units where adopters can take their pets.

Backpacks are already being spotted out on trails as newly adopted dogs and their families get outside. "The adopters love the backpacks," said Meera Solomon of LifeLine Animal Project’s Fulton County Animal Services shelter. "We appreciate the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy for supporting adoption and working to protect our community's natural resources."

To reach both owners of newly adopted dogs and long-time dog lovers, Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy's Lead the Pack—Bag and Bin It program is designed to educate dog owners about the environmental impacts of dog waste and encourage owners to carry waste bags at all times on the trails and take them to bins for proper disposal.

Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy and the NPS funded and installed 37 dog waste bins in high visitation areas throughout the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area to help visitors properly dispose of their dog’s waste at the park. The dog waste bins feature colorful signs designed by students from The Miami Ad School and include free waste bags.

“Helping educate new dog owners about the impact of dog waste on their drinking water is an exciting second phase of the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy’s Lead the Pack—Bag and Bin It campaign. Over time, we expect an improvement in the use of dog waste bags and proper bag disposal in the bins rather than people leaving them along the trail,” said Phillip Hodges, Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy Board Chair. "Supporting adoption from local shelters and educating new adopters is an important part of our goal to get pet owners to pick up their dog’s waste everywhere, every time."

Trail hikes are a great way for people and dogs to get exercise and enjoy the fresh air. To give adoptable dogs a break from the shelter for the day, the Atlanta Humane Society hosts a Dog Day Adventure program, where registered dog walkers can check out a dog for a day to go on a hike, take a walk in the park or even pick out a treat or toy from the pet store. Bag and Bin It backpacks will be available for dog walkers as well.

"We work hard to make our facility as enriching and stress-free as possible for the dogs in our care, but nothing can replace the fresh air they get in the great outdoors or the comfort of being in a home with a loving foster or forever family," said Amanda Harris of the Atlanta Humane Society. "That’s why we’re so excited to partner with the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy - they’re making it easier than ever to get our adoptable pups outside for some exercise and fresh air, and who knows… maybe they’ll even meet their future family out on the trails."

For more information on the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy and the Bag and Bin It program, visit chatthoocheeparks.org or email info@chattahoocheeparks.org.