Good Dog! Labrador Tubby Recycles more than 20,000 Plastic Bottles

Sedona Eye reader Abe Koniarsky of Sedona Arizona found this on http://optimistworld.com/News.aspx  and wanted to share it with Harley McGuire, SedonaEye.com’s Four legged star columnist. Harley wanted to pass the news on to faithful readers and encourage his four-legged pals (and their friends) to join the fight against litter by helping with local bottle recycling problems. Enjoy this wonderful, uplifting Canine news!

The story was written by Simon Meadows, last updated 16/03/2009 10:06:46:

A labrador dog has won praise for his recycling efforts after collecting up and crushing more than 20,000 plastic bottles in South Wales over the past six years. 

Twice daily Tubby goes out for a walk and usually picks up at least six plastic bottles from wherever he can find them. He then happily crushes them in his mouth and takes them back to his owner Sandra Gilmore in Pontnewydd, Torfaen. 

Sandra recycles them in her black box and estimates that in Tubby’s lifetime he could have collected up to 26,000 bottles. “He has got a real nose for them and has done ever since he was a puppy,” she said.

“He’ll dig them out from anywhere and go under bushes and even into water to fetch them. Tubby must be the keenest, greenest recycling canine around. I like to do by bit by recycling as much as I can – Tubby helps me to do an even better job.”

Sandra, 51, believes her family pet is attracted to bottles because of the noise they make when he crushes them in his mouth.  “He does a great job for the recycling crews as they come already crushed,” she said. “However, it can be annoying sometimes as there is often something left in the bottle when he brings it over and it then goes everywhere.”

Local councillor John Cunningham said: “I hope he keeps up the good work.”

We do, too, Tubby and Sandra. Tubby’s American canine friends applaud his outstanding environmental efforts. Hail, Tubby!