Have you got a dog? If you do, why don’t you take the Green dog walkers pledge? Continue reading to find out what it is, but before, let me explain the facts. As Lewisham Council reports, there are 8 million dogs in the UK and they produce 1,000 tonnes of excrement every day, which means 365,000 tonnes a year. Many people are not aware of the fact that it is an offence not to clean up after your dog and it could result in an on-the-spot fine of £75. Finally, it has to be pointed out that after two weeks, worms develop in dog waste and they can cause several diseases such as toxacarama canis, roundworm, salmonella, E-coli, pneumonia, asthma and even blindness. 

We all love our dogs but we love our borough too. Dogs are our friends and provide company, but we live in Lewisham and we want it to be as clean as possible, not only for us, but also for our pets! That’s why the Greed dog walkers pledge exists. It is a friendly way to change attitudes about dog fouling. When you sign it up, you show your support and commitment to clearing up after your dog. This pledge consists of six more specific points: you will clean after your dog and dispose the bag in a bin, when someone walks your dog you will encourage them to clean up after your dog, you will ensure that your dog wears a collar with a tag with your contact details inscribed on it, you will carry extra dog-waste bags to distribute to other dog walkers, you will never aggressively confront other dog walkers about dog fouling, and you will agree that Lewisham green dog walkers may contact you to take part in questionnaires and surveys. If you agree with those points, you can sign the pledge here: https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/getinvolved/environment/green-dog-walkers/Pages/Green-Dog-Walkers-Pledge.aspx 

It is everybody’s responsibility to keep Lewisham clean and tidy. Let’s all make it a better place to live. Do it for you and do it for your pet.