A special assistance dog is the star of a new national billboard campaign.

Two-year-old Delila from Sheerness was selected to be the furry face in an advert for fresh pet food brand Butternut Box.

A nationwide competition was held and thousands of proud dog parents across the country submitted funny, endearing and entertaining videos of their pups.

Delila stood out from the crowd due to her exceptional qualities as a medical and psychiatric assistance dog who helps her owner Francesca Cairns.

The Cocker Spaniel mix acts as a heart rate alert for the 20-year-old, who suffers from postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTs) and dysautonomia – a disorder that disrupts the autonomic nervous system.

Delila is also trained to provide anxiety support and help with everyday chores.

She attends university lectures and lives in student halls with Francesca, who is working towards a degree in canine therapy.

Apart from being the very best health assistant, Delila also has her own Instagram account and takes part in obedience and training classes, as well as Young Kennel Club competitions.

The award-winning pooch even shone in the spotlight at Crufts 2023, where she won the title of Scruffts Family Crossbreed of the Year.

Delila stars in the Butternut Box out-of-home campaign alongside 10 other dogs across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

The advert is live at 39 sites spanning bus shelters, shopping centres, and railway stations.

Francesca said: “Delila has changed my life forever. She is my superhero dog; without her I wouldn’t be able to do a lot of the everyday activities she helps me with and I certainly wouldn’t have been able to go to university.

“I’m so proud of her and wanted her to have a moment of fame as she truly is a star.

“Delila always enjoys her Butternut Box meals and especially loves the tasty training treats – they give her a boost of energy when she needs it most!”

Brand and creative director Christy McCormick added: “We were blown away by the incredible response to our Dogs Deserve Fame competition.

“We believe every dog is special and should be celebrated and how better to do this than by making them the real stars of our new advertising campaign.

“Delila is an extremely worthy winner who deserves her moment in the spotlight. She’s a little pup with a big job, which she does brilliantly.

“We hope the people of Sheerness love her just as much as we do!”