Locals Alex Welsh-Piedrahita and Fiona Ferguson are willing to get into the—er—poop for their jobs.
In fact, it is right in their new company's name. The pair are co-owners of The Poop Troop Pet Waste Management Inc., or The Poop Troop Inc. for short.
Ferguson, a former dog walker and pet care professional, told The Squamish Chief their business, which launched Oct. 1, specializes in picking up Fido droppings.
They offer pick-up services for homes, apartments, strata buildings, commercial buildings, and local parks.
The idea for the business was sparked when Ferguson saw a company offering the service when she lived in Victoria. She thought it was a good idea, told Welsh-Piedrahita, and it became a running joke of a business they might start, until it became a more serious discussion as an option in Squamish.
"All of a sudden, I was looking for a change, and he looked at me, and I at him, and we thought, OK, it's not a joke anymore. Is it like ... this is happening?"
So far, the business is made up of just the co-owners, as they get their footing.
"There's a lot of dog-friendly businesses in town. There are a lot of parks that see a lot of dog traffic. So, you know, anywhere that we can help, we're looking to help," she said, noting they have different service options.
"We remove all the waste, so whether that's us coming in and doing the scooping and then taking the waste away in sealed buckets, or we also do a bucket service, which is more of a DIY option," she said.
With that option, folks scoop their own waste into the sealed bucket that the company provides, and then they swap those out with sanitized buckets every week.
"So that you can keep that out of your household waste and just avoid some of that smell and mess," Ferguson said.
Regardless of the service, Ferguson said it is clear it is needed in town, noting that she had recently stepped in some doggy-doo on a field.
Ferguson, who is originally from Canmore, Alta. and Welsh-Piedrahita, moved to town about 18 months ago.
"Alex's partner is my best friend, so I'm under a contractual obligation to never live more than 20 kilometres away from her," Ferguson joked.
"The community is amazing, especially for a town that's growing; I find people are still really welcoming, which [is] lovely," she said.
While the waste is currently taken to the landfill, the company is actively looking for ways to divert from it.
"It'll depend as well on the total volume of waste that we can collect, but yeah, we are pretty invested in trying to see what kind of options are out there for decreasing the impact," she said.
"Pet waste does have a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions. It does create methane when it breaks down in the landfill, so that's something that we're interested in exploring."
Having dog waste around the yard, field, or business is a health hazard.
The Canadian Public Health Association notes many human diseases are transmitted by dog feces, including bacteria like E.coli, and parasites like tapeworms and roundworms.
The Poop Troop has all the necessary equipment to do the deed, and they are ready to go, says Ferguson.
"We're here, we're ready, and there is no mess too big for us. ... We're not here to judge, we're not here to ask any questions about why there might be a mess. You know, we're just here to help."
Prices vary, depending on the service, but currently, they are charging $20 per week, billed monthly, for yard waste pick up for one dog.
Find out more on The Poop Troop Pet Waste Management Inc website.
'Squamish business beat' is a series that arose from feedback from locals who wanted to see more business-related news. To be considered for this series, please email [email protected].
