Arlington Pet of the Week: Cooper

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Cooper, a young Goldendoodle.

Here’s a tongue-in-cheek story about Cooper, who apparently turns trash into organic compost:

Arlington County continues to develop new and innovative ways to deal with trash and recycling. Cooper, a one year old Goldendoodle resident of Arlington County, spearheaded a new program that launched last fall. “I like to focus on small pieces of trash like cigarette butts and pieces of plastic” said Cooper. “Small pieces of trash end up in our storm drains and ultimately in the river.”

On a typical day, Cooper collects upwards of three pounds of trash. Not only does Cooper collect trash, but he also turns it into organic compost to fertilize Arlington lawns. Cooper’s mom, Jess, is thrilled that he has taken such an interest in the environment. “I’m so proud of my little boy” said Jess. In addition to helping the environment, Jess said that “Cooper’s recycling efforts make our walks so much more enjoyable.” Cooper hopes to continue this program for years to come.

Disclaimer to all pet lovers: No, Jess does not actually let Cooper eat trash and fertilize lawns! This was just a different take on ARLnow’s Pet of the Week as Arlington is extremely environmentally conscious and dog friendly. Like any puppy, Cooper had his challenges. In the beginning, much like a baby, he picked up small objects with his mouth. Luckily, Jess is very attentive and quickly removed the objects and corrected Cooper. He is doing so much better now.

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care is the winner six consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Awards, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year and a proud supporter of the Arlington County Pawsitively Prepared Campaign.

Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in Arlington and all of Northern Virginia, as well as PetPrep training courses for Pet Care, CPR and emergency preparedness.