Re: Can animal's poop, such as dogs and cats, turn into fertilizer?

I'm doing a science project for school. Poop can be a fertilizer for grass and plants. Instead of using man made chemical fertilizers, which are bad for mankind. Is there any chemicals or solutions that can change poop into Fertilizer, not harm mankind?

You have some wrong information to start out with, and I am fairly sure where you are getting it. All things are made of chemicals, both living and nonliving. The entire solar system is a big chemistry set. The natural elements are used over and over, and have been for the past billions of years.

Now for the statement that chemical fertilizer is bad for soil and crops. The plant has no preference where the molecule came from that it uses, or picks up from the soil. A nitrogen-containing molecule does the same for the plant regardless where it comes from. An ammonia molecule is the same if it comes from manure (poop) or a tank. The people complaining about commercial fertilizers have never scooped out a chicken coop or horse stall filled with manure. Ammonia is a naturally produced from manure.

The short answer to your poop question is, yes dog and cat poop is very much the same as any other manure, including human, which indecently is sold as organic fertilizer in many big box stores. Once manure has been composted it is perfectly safe for use on all plants.

There are several benefits to using organic based fertilizers along with manufactured ones. As a science student one must be able to distinguish scientific fact from teacher’s opinions. I am sure your teacher will see red when and if they read my reply to you, but if you plan to stay in science you need to know there are a ton of people with opinions that are not based on science, but they will defend these opinions till death.

If you want additional discussion I am available (I taught science for a while, and still judge several science fairs.).

Dale Softley CPAg
(Certified Professional Agronomist)
Forensic Agronomist
Lincoln, NE