A clever recycling dog is helping clear the streets of litter by collecting hundreds of plastic bottles during his daily walks.

Scruff, a 13-year-old border collie, has been dubbed "the eco dog" by local residents who love watching him do his part for the environment.

Owners David Grant and Yvonne Faulkner-Grant adopted Scruff from a farm in 2009. Like so many puppies, he loved to play with sticks, but a fear of mouth splinters lead to Yvonne discouraging such behavior. Instead he began to play with plastic bottles.

Years past, and it was 2021 when David and Yvonne first noticed on their walks that their litter-picking hound had a fascination for plastic bottles. He'd pick one up, and carry it until he found another one.

"It seemed wrong that he would pick the bottle up and then drop it again-we thought people would think we were dropping litter," said Yvonne. "So we got him to start bringing the bottles to us and we put them in a bag and then count them up at the end of the walk."

The counting began in 2022, as it never occured to their owners before. And after a slow start with just 40 in January, Scruff has now retrieved more than 1,000.

Over the last year, the couple have been sharing their pet's green credentials on social media using the #scruffsbottlepatrol hashtag.

"We get such a good reaction on Facebook where Scruff has been dubbed an eco-dog," said Yvonne.

"People have said he should be working for the council, and everybody loves it when they see him in the street," said David. "He is such an obedient dog and very friendly-your typical sheep dog. He never chews the bottles or the lids he just [wantedd] to play."

"Now, he seems to go out looking for them on walks."

They are currently storing them all on one side of the garden, where they will sit until New Years, when the couple will do a big count. Come 2023, Scruff will continue to clean the streets and parks on his walks, but the couple have said they will recycle the bottles every month instead.

"Sometimes he collects 15 and sometimes it's only one-it depends how dirty the streets are that day," said David. "Someone said to me the other day that not all heroes wear capes and that is exactly what I think Scruff is doing-being a hero."

"If a dog can do it anyone can."

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