Philadelphia Water Department’s new spokesdog is Gracie Girl, an 8-year-old cane corso from Mayfair

On Sunday afternoon, 14 Philly dogs gathered at Philadelphia Brewing Co. in East Kensington to compete for one coveted position: spokesdog for the Philadelphia Water Department.

The contestants and their humans arrived at 2 p.m., and proceeded to mingle with other attendees, answer trivia questions, pose for a caricature artist, and munch on snacks — hoagies for the humans and dog treats for the pups.

At 3:30 p.m. on the dot, the dogs perked up as two hosts took center stage to begin the competition.

For over 10 years, the Philadelphia Water Department and Partnership for the Delaware Estuary have hosted a competition where local dogs compete to serve as spokesdog, a designation that involves attending events to spread awareness of dog waste pollution.

The annual event was created to complete a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulatory requirement for municipal-level outreach on dog-based pollution by the water department.

People don’t realize the impact of dog waste, said Kate Layton, communications manager for Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. “Dog waste is not a fertilizer; it’s not the same as manure. If dog owners are educated, they will be more mindful about picking it up and putting in the trash.”

“A mascot can rally around [the city] and folks pay attention to the issue,” said Ben Bristol, community initiative specialist at Philadelphia Water Department. “Dog waste pollution is not a charismatic topic. But when people think about and notice it, they might actually do something different.”

Eager to win the coveted position, humans walked their dogs up to the hosts and introduced their tail-wagging contestants who showcased fun tricks, while the humans answered a few questions.

When Gracie Girl, an 8-year-old cane corso, walked up, the hosts asked her human Joe Kenny what her superpower would be.

“She picks winners — she was there for all three Phillies games and they were all three wins," Kenny said.

For the final assessment, Gracie met with the judges standing nearby. She leaned in for cuddles and embraced the judges’ pets. “She was super calm and chill, and I also appreciated the owner talking about how Gracie goes to all around Philly trails,” said Sally Ehlers, a science and engagement specialist at Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.

Gracie Girl and her owner eventually landed the gold medal at the end of competition.

“I had no doubt — that’s my girl," said Kenny. The Mayfair resident heard about the competition on his usual walk on the Schuylkill River Trail with Gracie. “When she goes out, people stop and take pictures of her — that’s just the way she is. Everyone always tells me how congenial she is and she gets me outside everyday."

It was a tough competition, Kenny said, but the dogs were getting along and eager to take a position to represent the importance of dog waste pollution.

“It’s not about winning, right Gracie?” he asked the winning pup resting on the ground sporting the spokedog sash. “Although, that don’t hurt either.”