Rspca Australia Xmas Guardian Angels Ad

[Simply Grand]

Here's the ad

I'm annoyed by it as both a pure bred Australian Shepherd owner and a former RSPCA shelter worker.

I know I'm preaching to the converted but dogs like that very very rarely end up at RSPCA. It isn't fair to use a pure bred dog, either intentionally or unintentionally fueling the perception that pure bred breeders cause the problem of dogs in shelters and it isn't fair to the vast majority of gorgeous mutts that do fill shelters to imply that people can go in and find a dog like that.

And yes, I will send my comment to RSPCA Australia.

Edited December 4, 2014 by Simply Grand

[_PL_]

I hadn't thought of it that way :) first thing that comes to mind is that people will be expecting to find the pound full of pretty, young desirable dogs (even if they don't know what the dog is or that it's a purebred).

Maybe the rspca think a teaser will get people's attention (it will) but I would love to see a happy gorgeous muttley more representative of the usual pound inmates. A clever little scruffer or a big boofy softie.

The breed was probably chosen because of it's looks. Blue eyes, people love blue eyes, soft flowing coat with merle. It really is a very very beautiful dog, playing up the irony that a perfect looking young dog people will fall in love with could end up dumped. It'll get people into a tizzy either way.

[Dame Aussie]

I've worked in a few shelters and purebred dogs do come in IME, especially working breeds, border collies, cattle dogs kelpies and their associated crosses.

I don't think the general public will see it as a dig at breeders, though we may :laugh: but yes it would have been more appropriate and realistic to have a cross.

Edited December 4, 2014 by Dame Aussie

[Diva]

Yeah the beautifully groomed afghan one used to annoy me too. They should use the more typical cross breeds they get . It feels highly hypocritical.

[Simply Grand]

I've worked in a few shelters and purebred dogs do come in IME, especially working breeds, border collies, cattle dogs kelpies and their associated crosses.

I don't think the general public will see it as a dig at breeders, though we may :laugh: but yes it would have been more appropriate and realistic to have a cross.

Yes, that's true, lots of Kelpies and working type BCs. We didn't usually say they were pure though, even if they looked it because who really knows.

It probably wasn't an intentional dig at breeders, just advertising people saying they need to use an eye catching dog to get people's attention.

i've spoken to plenty of people though, both at work and outside it, who say things like "oh we like X breed or had X breed before but thought we should rescue a dog instead" so even if its not a clear cut 'it's because of pure bred breeders that dogs are in shelters' I think there's a perception that if you go to a breeder you are not helping the issue of dogs in shelters. Whereas I think of it as coming at the same issue from the other end, as in if everyone got a predictable dog that suited their circumstances from a responsible breeder there would be far fewer dogs in shelters.

OT to my own topic, but he is a gorgeous dog!

[Dame Aussie]

Yeah completely agree there, there should be no stigma in buying a dog from a registered ethical breeder. Its also great to rescue, the two aren't mutually exclusive but sometimes people treat them as such

[Rosetta]

Its just marketing - the most attractive models are always used! I saw a story on the local news about how the RSPCA shelter is at capacity because of the holidays coming up and people dumping dogs. They showed the most gorgeous little fluffy - no way that dog would have been there available for adoption even if if you went straight out there. :D Its just to get people there to have a look and hopefully fall in love with something. They use whatever ploys they can to attract people and I don't blame them particularly this time of year when they are inundated because so many low-lifes think animals are disposable.

[melzawelza]

I'm quick to have a go at the RSPCA ( :laugh: ), but I don't really see an issue with it, 'breed' wise.

Most people viewing the ad wouldn't even know that that dog was a breed or what it was called.

There are dogs of every single shape and size in pounds, mutts and dogs that appear purebred, too. A lot of them are stunningly attractive.

Edited December 5, 2014 by melzawelza

[Akayla]

Doesn't bother me. They get lots of pure looking dogs (without papers) and some pedigree as well as crossbreed. Also plenty of workers adopt. Besides sometimes ads are made with what is at hand and with who can handle the job. No big deal but that's just me. I'm personally more interested in "success" stories from shelters as ads. Real ones.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

As a purebred rescuer, I've actually started working with the RSPCA as of last year when they contacted us about an Italian Greyhound.

Since then we have taken on 3 more purebreds from them (different breeds).

Quite honestly, none of us truly know what dogs end up there - the dogs I've taken would have been euthanased because they weren't coping in the shelter environment and couldn't pass the assessments. Purebred dogs are generally more popular/quicker rehomes as well.

I have offered to take small older dogs but so far I haven't been contacted and don't really expect to be.

As for people dumping purebred dogs - they do it ALL THE TIME. Perhaps you are not looking in the right places but the pounds have plenty of purebred dogs - maybe not Aussie Shepherds but they have ended up in need.

My vet just told me about a 2 yr old Australian Shepherd that was going to be euth'd after owner suddenly died. I was horrified and said straight away - I can find help - she then said no, don't worry, a friend of the owner took the dog when they found out family was going to euthanase. Why they didn't think of going back to the breeder I don't know.

Vet was telling me this story to indicate that quite often, people have no idea what to do with unwanted pets and think they'll have to be put to sleep. Presumably the family were not dog owners ...

Edited December 5, 2014 by Her Majesty Dogmad

[Jemmy]

I feel like the ad is a good reminder that if you're looking for a new family member, there's dogs at the pound who are missing their family and don't know what they did wrong to get there. That's what I took away from it anyway.