Do you allow your pets to poop in the backyard? If so, chances are that you have lots of poop back there. Most Americans don't bother picking up the dog and cat poop laying around, unless they happen to use their backyard frequently for leisure purposes.

While festering poop will eventually degrade and provide nutrients for plants, it can also pose a hazard. Hookworms and Roundworms pass their eggs through animal feces. When a fly lands on a pile of poop, it will pick up tiny particles of poop, including an egg, and pass it to your food, if happens to land on it.

Pet poop also harbors lots of bacteria, and that could pose a problem if you have kids. Even if your kids don't play in the backyard, the truth is that they will eventually get into the backyard, because that's just the nature of kids.

If picking up after your pets becomes too much work, then consider hiring a professional pooper scooper. These are folks who making a living picking up pet poop on your property. They charge fees based on how many pets you have and how often you want them to come out. Fees can vary from $20.00 a month to $75.00 a month.

The Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists (aPaws) is a national trade organization of professional pooper scoopers. You can go to their website to find a list of pooper scoopers in your state.