Many of us have four-legged best friends and there’s nothing better than walking our tail-wagging pups along the shore. But what happens when that tail goes up and processed kibble plops down somewhere it can wash into the water? What we do on land impacts the oceans, often in disgusting ways, and now a new SeaDoc study published in the Journal of Parasitology shows that our dogs have a pollution problem too. The intestinal bug Giardia comes in a number of nasty strains that infect humans and all sorts of animals. When SeaDoc scientists tested our region’s harbor seals, we found that nearly half of the Salish Sea’s seals carry a unique seal strain of Giardia.

Disturbing results came from a site in south Puget Sound where seals were not only infected with their own brand of Giardia, but also with a canine variety, which shows that diseases from our pet dogs are being transmitted to marine wildlife. Future studies will tell us what effect the dog Giardia is having on the seals, but for now it’s an important wake-up call and reminder for everyone who cares about the oceans: The land and sea are intimately connected and even doing simple things like scooping your best friend’s poop will help keep the ocean and its wildlife healthy.

To learn more, visit www.seadocsociety.org