What’s Your Doggy Doo Doing?
When pet waste is left on the ground, rain and snowmelt can wash it into storm drains or directly into waterways. This “stormwater runoff” can contaminate our sources of drinking water. Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey estimate that animal waste is to blame for 20 to 30 percent of water pollution in America. Animal waste breeds harmful bacteria, promotes excessive plant growth, and causes algae blooms, which can kill fish and other animals.
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Designed by Frank McShane
What we are doo-ing
Philadelphia Water Department Best Friend – Partner Program
Together with the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), we’re partnering with shelters, animal clinics, and dog rescues around the City of Philadelphia to provide dog owners with free dog waste bags and bag dispensers! Each partner will also have educational materials to share with both new and existing pet owners.
Below is a list of our 2025 Philadelphia Water Department Best Friend partners:
ACCT Philly
Emancipet Adams Ave
Emancipet Roosevelt Boulevard
The Humane Society of the United States, Pets for Life
2025 Philadelphia Water Department Spokesdog Contest
Philly…your dog could be the next Philadelphia Water Department Spokesdog to help educate Philadelphia dog owners about the importance of picking up after their pup! Stay tuned for more information about the 2025 Spokesdog Competition.
Previous Spokesdog Competitions
Dolphina, the 2019 Spokesdog
In 2019, PDE and the Philadelphia Water Department revamped the annual Spokesdog Competition in an effort to raise awareness about the impact dog waste can have on the environment. The competition returned with a social media campaign and special focus on shelter animals. Four local pups from Morris Animal Refuge were featured as contestants, and all found a new home by the end of the competition. Dolphina, a five-year-old Pitbull mix won the 2019 competition and went on to serve the city well for her reign as the PWD Spokesdog.
Lucy, the 2022 Spokesdog
In 2021, the competition expanded to include dogs from Morris Animal Refuge, Pennsylvania SPCA, Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), and Philly ACCT. Lucy, a true underdog herself and a late addition to the competition from ACCT Philly, ended up pulling out the win for 2021.
Halo, the 2022 Spokesdog
The 2022 Spokesdog Competition again featured dogs from four shelters: Morris Animal Refuge, Pennsylvania SPCA, Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), and Street Tails Animal Rescue. The dogs were announced on May 1st, the beginning of National Scoop the Poop Week. Halo, from Morris Animal Refuge, took the cape in 2022 and has been hard at work educating Philadelphians about proper pet waste disposal.
Freddy, the 2023 Spokesdog
In 2023, the Spokesdog Competition took on a new format, allowing current Philadelphia dog owners to enter the contest. Dog owners had to snap a photo or share a video of their dog and how they properly dispose of their pet’s waste and post to social media. After reviewing all submissions, staff from PDE and the Philadelphia Water Department selected Freddy as the 2023 winner. A frequent hiker in Wissahickon Park, Freddy always lets all the pups know not to go #2 in the creek.
Check out our social media, @DelawareEstuary on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, to learn more about the connection between dog waste and clean water. And stay tuned for more details on the 2025 Spokesdog Competition and how your pup may get the chance to be the next Philadelphia Water Department Spokesdog!
Unsure about the connection between scooping poop and clean water? Visit phillyh2o.info/dog-waste
Check out our previous pageants and winners on our flickr page.
Contact us if you’d like to launch a similar campaign.