A proposal: Let’s make rescue glamorous!
In which Jill argues that rescue is indeed the new cool.
We’ve all seen the commercials featuring purebred dogs impeccably groomed, often moving in slow motion, fur blowing in the wind. You know. To enhance the dream.
The advertising agencies are doing what they’re paid to do; that is, make their clients’ products aspirational. If you love the Golden Retriever in the commercial, the thinking goes, then you can’t live without this SUV, or our auto glass repair services, or our baked beans (right, Duke?).
Purebred Labrador breeds make up an outsized proportion of dogs featured in commercials. And why not? They’re adorable, reminding us of the dogs we had when we were kids / when we were first married / when our boss bought from a breeder and had the dog shipped across the country. It’s a learned aesthetic that’s not easily deprogrammed. But we should try regardless.
The companies that feature purebred dogs in their ads inadvertently maintain the myth of their prestige. And that indirectly perpetuates the killing of shelter animals.
There. I said it.
By normalizing purebreds through ads, dog shows, celebrity social media accounts, and any number of memes, we’re not giving mixed breeds, bully breeds, seniors, or physically-challenged dogs a chance.
If you google West Highland White Terrier (click/tap on link) – the breed of that cute little dog on the label of the “gourmet” dog food - you’ll find they have boundless energy, are hypoallergenic, have higher than normal incidences of atopic dermatitis and pulmonary fibrosis, and that puppies can sell for “…$1500 upwards to $5200 or even more.”
How many shelter dogs could $5200 save? How many surgeries could be performed on sick or disabled dogs for whom rescues are scraping together funds? Our rescue has a wonderful little mixed-breed pup, Bennett, whose ACL surgery will likely cost $4000. With $5200, we could fix Bennett’s leg and have money left over to pay for Kira’s tooth extraction and Tiny’s cancer recurrence.
The pet products industry is Ground Zero for purebred bias. Look at the packaging of any flea treatment or bag of kibble and you’ll likely find a smiling purebred staring back at you. (This is more true of dog products than cat products, where cuteness seems to be more paramount than pedigree.)
Cultivating awareness of mixed-breed, bullies, and special-needs pets in media won’t happen overnight. But we can begin taking action to ensure that brands understand that pets don’t have to look familiar, or even “normal,” but can be of any provenance. Try any or all of these suggested actions:
Buy the “bully” brands. Brands are increasingly featuring bully breeds on their packaging and in their commercials. Buy these products. Then send a picture to the manufacturer, explaining you had a choice of brands and picked theirs because you’d like to promote adoptable bully breed dogs. For instance, a commercial for FreshPet featured Princess, an amputee pit bull from a dog-fighting ring: “You don’t need four legs to live happily ever after.”
Thank the companies trying to get it right. Cosequin® joint supplement has deep pockets when it comes to sponsoring purebred dog shows. But during both the Westminster Kennel Club dog show and the Hallmark channel’s American Rescue Dog Show, Cosequin featured an ad celebrating both winning show dogs and rescue dogs. We don’t really need to see another overbred show dog, but juxtaposing an adorable rescued terrier mix is a great start.
Patronize the companies that “get it.” Not everyone can buy a Mercedes-Benz. But what we can all could is share this commercial on social media. Talk about glamorizing rescue! If you can and do buy a Mercedes, it never hurts to let the dealer know that a certain advertising campaign was the deciding factor in your purchase of that new CLS Coupe. Just put a cozy blanket over the back seat!
Nudge the fence-sitters. On any given day, I either love or hate Subaru. Laudably, the brand promotes pet rescue through its Subaru Love Promise program. The commercial itself features mixed-breed rescue dogs. But the Subaru commercials that air most often showcase the aforementioned Golden Retrievers and Yellow Labradors. This includes the popular “Lunch Stop” commercial with the Golden dad and Yellow Lab mom… never mind. If you drive a Subaru, send or post a photo of your rescue dog inside the vehicle. If you’re thinking of buying one, email or post a photo of your rescue dog inside the car you want to turn in.
Be loud and proud. One of our adopters swears she never realized there were so many older dogs in need of homes until she saw the “Adopt a Senior Dog” bumper sticker. Wear the t-shirt of your favorite rescue proudly. And yes, ask everyone you meet with a dog if they rescued it - and thank them if they did.
Over time, these small gestures can make a difference in how brands perceive consumer priorities. Manufacturers might decide to squeeze in a few mixed- or bully breeds into their ads, or even feature adoptable pets in time-sensitive promotions. And that, in turn, could save lives.
