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Finding that forever home
New Pedigree campaign aimed at increasing awareness
| Source: |
Edmonton Sun |
| Date: |
April 9, 2008 |
| Author: |
Barb Martowski |
Would you admit that it was really your dog that taught you how to
skate - that is, if you had a dog?
One Alberta boy - World Figure Skating Champion Kurt Browning -
clearly remember's it being his dog who taught him .
"I think of that dog as my first coach," said Browning in a recent
phone interview.
"He would grab the puck and run across the field, so my dad, who would
see me running across the fields after the dog with my skates on,
muzzled the dog whenever he was playing with me.
"Then all the dog could do was push the puck around - in the end, the
dog was really having fun, jumping at the puck and pushing it with its
muzzle and its feet. I made a rubber boot goal for him and a rubber
boot goal for me, and we would just play and play. We had a
blast."
Though Browning didn't have a dog during his competitive years, today,
he and his wife have "a cat, a dog, and two children, so it's a pretty
busy little house.
"When I was growing up, we always had a dog, and I strongly believe in
their ability to impact a person's life in a positive way. That's one
of the main reasons why I'm excited to be part of the Pedigree
Adoption Drive campaign."
The campaign, which has been running for several weeks now, is aimed
at raising $500,000 and at finding loving homes for shelter dogs
across Canada.
Browning admits that when the Pedigree people first approached him, he
wasn't sure he was their man.
"My dog is not a rescue dog and I thought that would be a concern. The
more we talked about what Pedigree is trying to do with this campaign,
the more I realized that I was their target audience. I was somebody
who wanted to get a dog in his life and didn't actually consider a
shelter dog.
"We needed a hypo-allergenic dog, so we assumed we needed to search
breeds and go that route, when in actuality, we really missed a great
step and could have had a great shelter dog. We don't need to show the
dog, we don't race the dog or breed the dog - we just needed a
pet.
"You take a dog out of a shelter and give it home, it's going to love
you. So I said, 'You know what? I'm kind of the typical person that,
had I known of this before, I probably would have at least checked out
the local shelters before making that decision (of where the family
would get their pet).'
"I think people assume that all shelter dogs have been harassed to the
point of not being able to be family dogs, or that they have issues or
problems. And you know what? Some of them do. But the stories I've
been hearing from the people I've been meeting through this campaign
and the dogs I've been meeting are amazing.
"I'm meeting those dogs they're talking about and we're throwing the
ball and they're licking my face and we're having a great time. And
then they tell me the stories of when they first got their dogs and I
go, 'What?' With the right person, these are dogs are able to recover
from whatever situation they've been through."
CLOSER TO HOME
Personally, I think the percentages of truly "troubled" dogs in
shelters is very minimal.
Over the last several years, my friends Boyd and Laura England have
rescued five animals - three dogs and two cats - and all of their dogs
have been amazing, fitting right into the family from the very first
day.
"Lucy was our first rescue - we adopted her in 2003," said Boyd. "And
of course, we decided that she needed a friend, so along came
Casey."
All their dogs have been purebred labs, and other than keeping up with
the energetic nature that goes along with the breed, the Englands say
they have had zero problems.
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS
"We have had absolutely no behavioral, or any real health issues with
any of our dogs. Definitely there's misconceptions - some of it might
be due to overly aggressive evaluation assessments of the
dogs.
"I can, however, understand the importance of shelters erring on the
side of caution, but if you know anything about dogs, I think you have
to go on your instinct. What might be listed as leash aggression could
simply be a case of the dog reacting to the possibility of making a
new friend and being excited about getting over and meeting
it."
Such was the case with Sophie, whom the Englands just rescued after
the recent loss of Lucy. A few issues were listed on her chart,
especially when it came to interaction with other dogs, but Boyd and
Laura recognized something in her and brought her home anyway.
It's only been a a few short weeks, but Casey and Sophie are
inseparable and, more importantly, says Boyd, "Sophie has really
helped us get through the pain of losing Lucy. We've had nothing but
joy with all of our dogs."
And that is the crux of the Pedigree campaign - to find more loving
homes like the Englands' for shelter dogs.
"There are too many dogs right now living in shelters waiting to be
adopted," says Kevin Lake, marketing director for Pedigree. "The
Pedigree Adoption Drive campaign is all about encouraging Canadians to
consider adopting a shelter dog."
The company has partnered with 200 shelters, rescue groups and humane
societies across the country, including the Edmonton Humane
Society. For EHS spokesperson Diane Shannon, the campaign is a really
wonderful thing.
"I happened to catch the commercials on TV and it was a 'Oh my heart'
moment. Working here in the shelter, that's the reality. Those are the
dogs we deal with every day. We see them behind the fencing waiting
and waiting, and we see their happy tails wagging when they get to go
home," said Shannon.
"For us, we're just so thrilled that Pedigree is promoting that
message of adopting a shelter animal. Because we have wonderful
animals and they just need a second chance to have a forever
home.
"Pedigree is promoting that - they're not trying to promote their
product. The real focus of this (the campaign) is not about them, it's
about the animals that are in shelters and need to be adopted and
placed in a forever home. It's just wonderful."
Pedigree also has a few suggestions of ways you can become part of the
campaign even if you haven't room for a dog in your current lifestyle
- like volunteering.
"Volunteering is a great alternative for people who may not have the
space in their home, or who have just left home to come to university
and have had to leave their pet at home with their parents," said
Shannon.
"You can come here and get your fix - the fuzzy unconditional love and
kisses without having them in your home all the time. And we always
need volunteers."
As for Browning, he thinks volunteering is the perfect first-step for
children who keep asking for a dog.
"It's a really neat way for kids to learn about dogs. And if they
commit to every Saturday and follow through, then they've proven
they're responsible enough to have a dog," said Browning, adding that
it's best to first check with your local shelter regarding age
restrictions or any other formalities before suggesting it to your
child.
To find out more about the Pedigree Adoption Drive campaign, the
shelters involved and the many ways you can help, visit at
www.mypedigree.ca.
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