When she’s not riding her paddleboard with her mom, local dog Lolo, has been making her way into the hearts of pet lovers across the nation as a contestant in the 2026 America’s Favorite Pet competition. In fact, she’s already made it to the quarter-finals.
“I saw this competition and kind of made it my whole personality,” Lolo’s owner, Leah Goodman, told the Current. “Not only is this a fun project, but it also gives back to a good cause.”
America’s Favorite Pet is a competition organized by Jenny McCarthy and Donnie Wahlberg as a fundraiser for PAWS, an organization that rehabilitates orphaned and injured wildlife and shelters homeless cats and dogs.
The winner of the competition receives $10,000 and a feature in Modern Dog magazine.
Lolo, a lab mix, was born in Georgia before arriving at the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem. Goodman adopted Lolo when she was just eight weeks old and got her on a paddleboard just two weeks later.
Goodman, the owner of SUP East Coast Style, a paddleboarding and e-foiling company, has seen her dog develop into something of a local celebrity, both in Marblehead and in the Florida Keys where they spend the winter.
“Lola has a big life,” she said. “She’s making lots of friends working and living in Florida. She knows how to navigate dolphins and manatees. I swear she’s developed a dolphin call.”
Why should Lolo win the competition: “She just gives so much love,” says Goodman.
Any votes for Lola cast on Feb. 18 will count twice. Quarterfinal voting will remain open until midnight eastern on Feb. 27. Those interested can cast their votes here: americasfavpet.com/2026/lolo-dcf5
