Pet waste left on the ground washes into the bay with the next rain, carrying bacteria that close shellfish beds and swimming areas. Since 2020, CPWB has installed dog waste bag dispensers around Waquoit Bay and kept them stocked with free bags.
Why it matters
Dog waste left on trails, lawns and pavement doesn’t stay put. Rain carries it into storm drains, streams and the bay. There it adds nutrients that feed algae, and pathogens, the disease-causing bacteria that can close swimming and shellfishing areas and make people sick. The fix is simple: bag it and put it in the trash at home.
Where to find a dispenser
As of 2023, CPWB had seven dispensers around the bay, each with a sign explaining why pet waste matters:
- Quashnet River trailhead off Martin Road
- National Wildlife Refuge trailhead off Red Brook Road
- Waquoit Bay town landing
- Seconsett Island
- Seacoast Shores (two dispensers)
- Great River boat ramp off Great Oak Road
How the program started
The first dispenser went up at the Quashnet River trail in early 2020, one of the first projects of the revived CPWB, planned with the Waquoit Bay Reserve. By the end of 2020 there were six, and volunteers had already refilled 400 bags at the Quashnet station alone. CPWB pays for the dispensers and the refill bags. Volunteers keep them stocked, and CPWB’s brochure on pet waste has been used by other local groups, including the Falmouth Water Stewards. The seventh dispenser went in at the Great River boat ramp in August 2023 (November 2023 newsletter).
How you can help
- Pick it up, every time. Take a bag from home or from a CPWB dispenser, and put the full bag in your trash.
- Help keep dispensers stocked near where you walk.
- Suggest a new location where a dispenser would get good use.
To volunteer or suggest a spot, email CPWB at info@waquoitbay.org.
Drafted with AI assistance from the linked source.
