Worrying truth behind flushing animal poo down the toilet as vet warned pet owners against it
Poo is poo but not all s**t is the same.
You'd think human poop would have the same rights as animal poop, but sadly that isn't the case.
Experts have explained why flushing human waste down the loo is very different to chucking cat poo - and even litter - down the toilet.
Dr Alice Judge - vet and co-founder of Pet Impact - has revealed the various dangers of flushing not just poo, but biodegradable litter too.
Flushing cat poo
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When it comes to cat poop, it 'often contains a highly resistant parasite called Toxoplasma that can infect people and animals.'
Dr Judge explained: "Many municipal water treatments do not have equipment or processes to kill it (as they're designed for humans who don't poop this parasite) meaning it would pass into our waterways, posing a risk to humans and animals alike.
"It can even prove fatal for some wildlife."
The danger of flushing 'flushable' poo bags
In general, the vet noted that 'many studies have shown that biodegradable and flushable products, including flushable poo bags, don't disintegrate as claimed.'
"This is primarily because they're designed to biodegrade in specific waste composting facilities - not in cold water, like that in our toilets," she said.
"In fact, flushable poo bags have historically caused $8 million in blockages in Australia so it's not recommended to try flushing these bags, despite what they claim.
"The same goes for cat litter. Our old sewage systems are only designed for the 3 P's - Pee, Poo and Paper and can easily get blocked if anything else is thrown in."
Flushing dog poo
Even flushing dog poo without the bags can be dangerous.
Dr Judge said 'it contains twice the amount of harmful bacteria and also contains unique parasites'.
"One particular parasite, Toxocara, is highly resistant to high temperatures," she adds.
What to do instead
The vet, who has admitted to having 'a strange new love and passion for poo bags,' said to use eco-friendly products.
She suggests to go for ones that 'are made of existing waste and also directly fight ocean plastic pollution.'
"Experts advise that it's better to re-use waste that was already destined for landfill or incineration rather than virgin materials to make poo bags," she said.
"This helps reduce new plastic production and pollution, cuts carbon emissions and minimises energy use."
Anish Vij