Border collies chase away beach contamination by chasing away gulls

Border collies are effective at reducing gull congregation on recreational beaches, resulting in lower E. coli abundance in the sand. Gull droppings may be one source of the indicator bacterium Escherichia coli to beach water, which can lead to swim advisories and beach closings. In addition, gull droppings may contain bacteria with the potential to cause human disease, according to a researcher.