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By Anthony Bond


Well-behaved: Rescue dog Meg has been wowing walkers with her amazing talent for clearing litter

Up and down the country, there are often complaints about the behaviour of dogs in parks and the mess they can sometimes leave behind.

But one sheep dog is having the complete opposite affect in her local park.
Meg has been wowing walkers with her amazing talent for clearing litter.

Tidy: The collie has become so successful her local park is often completely clear of litter by the time council workers come to do their early morning rounds

The six-year-old rescue dog likes nothing more than picking up dozens of dropped drink cans and sweet wrappers before dropping them in the bin.

The collie has become so successful her local park is often completely clear of litter by the time council workers come to do their early morning rounds.

Her efforts have even come to the attention of the local dog warden in Great Cornard, Suffolk, who is hoping to sign Meg up as the canine face of an anti-littering campaign.

Proud owner Ken Pople, 69, said other dog walkers were left open-mouthed when they saw Meg running hundreds of yards to drop cans into bins.

The retired taxi driver said: 'She just loves doing it and is able to put the litter into all sorts of different bins.

'There are times when we are out and she will drop her ball and run off to put a can in the bin - it’s a sight to see.

'We are not out there doing it as a service for the community but I think she is so good at it, that is what has started happening.

'When people get up and see a nice clean playing field on a Sunday morning - unbeknown to them Meg has been putting rubbish in the bin.'

Meg’s actions have even been helping litter bugs see the error of their ways.

Mr Pople of Little Cornard, Suffolk, said: 'We were out on the meadows once and there was a group of young lads and girls and one of them had lobbed a can into the grass.

'Meg went along and picked it up and took it over to the nearest bin and dropped it in.

'The boy’s reaction was to say "that was awesome" so I was able to say "perhaps that has taught you a lesson, if she can do it, perhaps you can too."

'I saw them later and they picked up all their rubbish into carrier bag and the lad gave me a thumb’s up sign as he put it all in the bin.

'I think sometimes a dog can have a better impact at teaching people than I could have done as they would have undoubtedly taken offence had I told them off.'

Meg’s good behaviour wows other dog owners, but her angelic nature has not always been there.

The black and white beauty came from a problem home aged 10 months old and had not been given any proper training.


Delighted: Proud owner Ken Pople, 69, said other dog walkers were left open-mouthed when they saw Meg in action

Role model: It is hoped that Meg's litter-picking efforts will inspire humans to follow in her steps

Mr Pople said: 'She was an absolute nightmare at first - an absolute lunatic.

'They are meant to be working dogs but if they cannot work with sheep you have to give them something else to do.

'It took a lot of patience to train Meg but I could not live with a dog that is not well-behaved.

'She is a great little dog and I am very proud of her.'

Andy Nunny, a community warden for Sudbury and Great Cornard, hopes that Meg’s litter picking efforts will inspire humans to follow in her steps.

He said: 'If a dog can be trained to put rubbish in the bin, then surely people can learn to as well.'



source:dailymail