Seriously.

The Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists (aPaws), founded in February 2002, has established April 1-7 as International Pooper Scooper Week as a special week of educating pet owners on the importance of cleaning up after their dogs.

Even though the week begins on a day where everyone tries to pull a fast one, aPaws wants people to open their eyes to the importance of keeping yards and public spaces waste-free.

Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking news alerts delivered right to your inbox

“Dog waste can contain a lot of diseases and bacteria that people don’t know, about,” said Paul Chesler, President of aPaws. “It can contain tape worm, ringworm and whipworm. If you’re pregnant or on drug therapy, such as cancer patients, animal feces can pose a danger to you.”

Children run the greatest risk of infection because they’re prone to play in the dirt at the park or playground and then put their hands in their mouths or rub their eyes with their hands. But even a group of teens or adults playing Frisbee or touch football in an open area could be in danger. Parasitic infections can make humans extremely sick, and for pregnant women – can pose a serious harm to their unborn child.

With the week in full swing, pet owners should be aware of the problems concerning dog waste. The American Pet association estimates that this country’s 71,000,000 pet dogs produce more than 4.4 billion pounds of waste per year. That’s enough to cover 900 football fields with 12 inches of dog waste.

“This week draws attention to the fact that we have a professional organization of animal waste specialists,” Chesler continued. “If you’re going to hire someone, hire a professional instead of some guy who shows up who might be uninsured and not know what he’s doing.”

Members of the group carry liability insurance and conform to a code of ethics that includes informing clients of any suspicious activity in the neighborhood; treating animals with utmost respect; disinfecting tools and shoes and wearing a mask and gloves when working; complying with local disposal requirements; conducting business ethically and be open to inspection by aPaws representatives at all times.

“There are people who consider this a service just for the wealthy and lazy,” Chesler said. “But we’re just like the pool guy, the gardener and a maid service, people should be able to enjoy the lifestyle they’ve created.”

He also pointed out that many clients of pick-up services are unable to clean up after their animals because of illness or age and, without help, wouldn’t be able to enjoy the companionship a pet provides.