City sets anti-poop pup drive

You might call this a poopularity contest.

Despite the bad pun, the Philadelphia Water Department really is running a contest to find an official "spokesdog" for its campaign to get dog owners to pick up after their pets.

The competition will be held among the canine populations of East Falls, Manayunk and Roxborough.

The three parts of the city were chosen because the department is working with riverside communities to reduce dog waste, which it said is carried off by rainwater or snow melt and fouls rivers and streams.

Contrary to popular opinion, dog waste is not environmentally friendly and is not a fertilizer, said Joanne Dahme, general manager of public affairs for the department.

Dog waste is a pollutant that deposits bacteria, parasites and algae in places like the Wissahickon Creek and the Schuylkill, she said.

Dog owners in the three comunities have until Nov. 28 to enter their pooches via www.philly watersheds.org/spokesdog.

The "spokesdog" will win a $200 gift card to a local pet store.

Actually, there will be more than one "spokesdog."

A total of 20 finalists will be chosen in February via online voting: 10 from East Falls and 10 from Manayunk and Roxborough.

Two winners will then be chosen by a panel of judges at competitions in each neighborhood next spring.

Afterward, each winner will attend three community events over the next year during which, according to the department, the pups will "hand" out doggie wastebag dispensers and educational tip cards.

They remind owners that all they have to do is flush their dog's waste down the toilet or discard it in the trash, using a biodegradable bag.

Contest sponsers also include the East Falls Development Corp., Manayunk Development Corp., and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. For more info, call the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary at 800-445-4935, ext. 112.