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07/24/2002 Entry: "Commercial"

In the category of "So very wrong..."

There's a particular Kodak commercial in which the actress is working in an animal shelter. She takes a picture of one of the dogs, uploads it to her computer, and sends it to everybody in her email address book. A boy comes to adopt the dog. Presumably, this is something she does regularly.

Eric and I find this commercial, as well as the Humane Society advertisements in the paper, morbidly funny. Though it's awful, I wonder how it would feel to be in this woman's address book, receiving pictures of incarcerated animals week after week, fidgeting uncomfortably as I hoped that one of the other receivers would go adopt the dog. Does she remove the names of the people who have already answered the call? Will the address list dwindle further and further until only a few of us are left who don't particularly want a dog?

She might as well be captioning the pictures, "Buy this dog, or it will die."

(No hate mail, please. I do love dogs; I just don't really want to be a dog owner, and can't imagine being guilted into getting one anyway. I don't laugh because I'm amused at animal death, but because the tactic strikes me as unbelievable nervy.)

Replies: 12 sandcastles

I'm on one of those lists! Not really, but my workplace has a mailinglist to which people post all sorts of ads (moving sales, rooms for rent...) and a few times a week we get heartbreaking ads like this one:
"Hi everyone,
I desperately need a home for a 4 month old black and white kitten. He is very affectionate, gentle and friendly and really enjoys being held.
He is a stray kitty thus really really eager to please, he just wants some love, poor wee thing.
Can someone PLEASE give him a home? When he grows up he will be an awesome, eternally grateful cat. I would hate to have to take him to the pound."

I already own a cat and a kitten and it makes sad and mad to have to read those. I completely understand what you mean, Carrie!

Posted by sandy @ 07/25/2002 04:28 PM EST

I've seen that commercial so many times and that never once occured to me. I think because I was always too distracted by how cute that little black and white dog at the end is. :)

Posted by sherry @ 07/25/2002 03:03 PM EST

How do you know they aren't people that are wanting a dog? My husband is on a "Westie Rescue" mailing list because at one time he wanted a little west highland terrier. Anyway, just my way of looking at it.

Posted by Amy @ 07/25/2002 02:49 PM EST

That commercial made me wonder the same thing.. but I actually do want a dog. Just can't have one where I live now. I've been to animal shelters and left in tears every time because the thought of no one taking the dogs home is just too heartbreaking.

Posted by Steph @ 07/25/2002 10:44 AM EST

I think there are no-kill shelters, but I believe that some still do euthanize unplaced animals. God, it gives me the chills to think about it. :-(

I think putting pictures on a website is a great idea. I guess what got me was thinking about having the pictures constantly sent to me, and me not being able to do anything but hope that somebody else could help.

Posted by Carrie @ 07/25/2002 09:10 AM EST

See, at first I was thinking that she was sending the pics to her friends. Then I thought, maybe they are people who've come in looking for a dog and given their email in order to be contacted. Call me a devil's advocate...
Friends if ours gave their name to an animal rescue league and they constantly get calls to come and take animals about to be "put down". My friend just asked that her name be taken off the list to call because she couldn't take anymore animals and she felt guilty everytime they got a call.

Posted by Stacie @ 07/25/2002 07:24 AM EST

oh SO you'll eat a HOT DOG but not
give a dog a bone, eh?

ok. I'm not livid or enraged. :)
I just think it's a funny topic all around.
I hate animal shelters- and not because I don't think they are not good to have, I LUHVE animals!
but they are so pitiful behind those bars... my gads. it's enough to guilt me for years.
Hannah

Posted by Hannah @ 07/25/2002 05:04 AM EST

Hi
I have never seen this commercial but as far as I know, at least in the state that I live in, the humane society does not euthanize the animals they have at their shelters.

Posted by Hilary @ 07/24/2002 11:44 PM EST

I volunteer at a shelter, and we use digital photography for our online adoption site. It really does help place critters who would otherwise remain homeless.

Posted by Cynthia @ 07/24/2002 11:43 PM EST

We saw that commercial the other day. Jack turned to me and said, "You think she's spamming people with dog pictures or what?" No doubt!

Posted by Hilary @ 07/24/2002 08:33 PM EST

I'm glad I'm not the only one. :-)

You know, I may have wanted a dog at one point, but I'm deathly allergic. Probably my lack of desire for one is something of a coping mechanism, since I can never, ever have one. :-( (And I live in an apartment.)

Posted by Carrie @ 07/24/2002 02:17 PM EST

I've wondered the same thing about that commercial.

i'd hate to be one of her friends... week after week, dog after dog...

Oh, you know you're stirring something up don't ya carrie. I can aready see the hate mail...

Posted by maria @ 07/24/2002 02:10 PM EST