Paws on Plastic began in Scotland but is now a global success

Launched in November 2018, Paws on Plastic simply asked dog owners to pick up two pieces of plastic while walking their beloved hounds.
Unique concept...was the brainchild of Marion Montgomery but she has given full credit to her dogs for leading the way!Unique concept...was the brainchild of Marion Montgomery but she has given full credit to her dogs for leading the way!
Unique concept...was the brainchild of Marion Montgomery but she has given full credit to her dogs for leading the way!

Inspired by her own dogs who were always picking up plastic bottles, Scottish primary school teacher Marion Montgomery began the not-for-profit in Stonehaven.

The concept is simple: Members pick items up using a spare poo bag and take it home to empty, into a recycling bin if possible, and saving the bag to use again.

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They then post a photo of their dog on the Paws on Plastic Facebook Page to celebrate their efforts and spread the word.

Membership is now rising at an incredible rate with members from all over the world on the Facebook group.

Marion said: “We now have members in 80 countries, covering all continents except Antarctica!

“The strength of Paws on Plastic is its simplicity.

Dog owners are already out there walking their dogs every day. We see the litter and have a spare bag in our pocket – it just takes a second to pick up a couple of pieces.

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“No extra time or effort is required yet, if we all do our bit, with over 16,500 of us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that’s more than 66,000 pieces a day – on an average of two pieces on two daily walks – or 24 million pieces a year.

“However, most people pick up more than two pieces each as it is rather addictive!

“Once your dog is playing with a bottle, it’s your responsibility to put it in a bin.

“So many dog owners have been doing this without thinking about it.

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“It’s like our dogs have been trying to tell us to do it and now, with the increasing awareness of plastic pollution, we’re finally catching on!”

Paws On Plastic collaborates with Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Britain Tidy, Two Minute Beach Clean and Surfers against Sewage on campaigns focused on litter and encouraging responsible dog ownership.

To sign up, look for Paws on Plastic on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.