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
Philly Water Best Friend – Partner Program
We’re partnering with shelters, doggy daycares, shops, and vets around the City of Philadelphia to provide dog owners with free waste bags! Each partner will also have educational materials, our new Smokey the Bear-inspired poster featuring our 2019 Spokesdog Dolphina, and a chance to win prizes through a raffle.
Below is a list of our current Philly Water Best Friend partners:
Center City Veterinary Hospital
Wissahickon Creek Veterinary Hospital
Simmons Animal Hospital
Girard Vet Clinic
Barkadelphia Doggie Daycare
Morris Animal Refuge
Pan Dog Center
Street Tails Animal Rescue
Art Museum Veterinary Center
Emancipet
Spokesdog Competition
In 2019, PDE and the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) worked to combat dog waste in a creative way: a Spokesdog competition. Following a four-year hiatus, this competition returned with a social media campaign and special focus on shelter animals by partnering with Morris Animal Refuge. Four local pups were selected by Morris for the competition and local dog lovers got to pick their favorite with likes on Facebook, Instagram, and Tw
Education about the harm of leaving dog waste behind will continue to be shared at events and through social media posts starring Dolphina. Stay tuned for the 2020 Spokesdog Competition, coming in April!
Check out a video about Morris Animal Shelter’s participation in the 2019 Spokesdog Competition:
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.