Sutherland walkers urged to take part in dog poo project as charity keen to assess scale of the problem
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AN environmental charity has issued an unusual challenge for walkers in Sutherland to help it chart dog fouling in green spaces.
Keep Scotland Beautiful has launched a nationwide call for people to help record the scale of the problem.
At a time when many are making more use of open and green spaces in communities for daily exercise during coronavirus lockdown, the charity says it is concerning that reports of dog fouling are increasing.
Evidence gathered in surveys last year showed that 10 per cent of surveyed sites were blighted by dog poo.
Now volunteers are being asked to identify a 100m stretch of local road, path or to walk through a local green space and – whilst exercising and in accordance to Government guidance – count, then submit information on the number of instances of dog fouling, bagged and un-bagged, that they find.
It says the information will form a unique new data set to be used to increase awareness and drive action to tackle one of Scotland’s worst environmental complaints.
Paul Wallace, campaigns manager with Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “It is extremely disappointing that the thoughtless actions of irresponsible dog owners means that our shared enjoyment of our local open and green spaces, and a brief escape from the stresses and strains of the current situation, can be ruined.
“That is why Keep Scotland Beautiful is calling on individuals and families to take part in #TurdTag, helping to gather evidence from communities across Scotland to get an accurate picture of the scale of this problem – it is simple and easy to take part as part of the daily exercise allowed in guidance from the Scottish Government.”
Results should be submitted to cleanup@keepscotlandbeautiful.org by 11 May 2020 and shared using social media and the hashtag #turdtag.
Keep Scotland Beautiful is the charity that campaigns, acts and educates on a range of local, national and global environmental issues to change behaviour and improve the quality of people’s lives and the places they care for.
Keep Scotland Beautiful is committed to making Scotland clean, green and more sustainable.
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