For the last several years she's attended the Westminster Kennel Club's Dog Show, held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Due to scheduling conflicts this year, she wasn't able to go, which was really disappointing fur her since a new Coonhound got listed!
Then after the show, she hears that the WKC dropped Pedigree as a sponsor. Pedigree has been a sponsor of the show for the last 24 years! Apparently, "people" found the images of shelter dogs used in the Pedigree campaign to be "depressing". This campaign has enlightened so many to the plight of wonderful, adoptable shelter dogs. On the other hand, shows like the WKC, although unwittingly, add to the demand for purebreds, and often from puppy mills and not from trustworthy breeders. She's most disappointed in their on air commentator David Frei, she used to think that he was so wonderful *shaking head*. In his statement to the AP: “The feedback we got from our primary audience was that they were seeing commercials that made them want to turn the channel”
Who is this "primary audience" Mr. Frei? The elite portion of your audience and members of the WKC board? We've seen the commercials and they've only been informative and uplifting. And all the adoptable dogs were presented in an inviting manner, no cowering or fearful dogs. Just hopeful faces, looking forward to being adopted.
Just so you know, we're not shilling fur Pedigree. It used to be my food of choice before I was switched to a grainfree kibble. But we do appreciate all that Pedigree has done and continues to do for shelter dogs. Thanks for listening *helping mom off her soapbox*. And thanks for stopping by!
And a big Thank you fur Baby Patches, Twolittlecavaliers, and Life With Dogs for sponsoring the Saturday Pet Blog Hop!
Oh you are kidding! We didn't know that dropped Pedigree, ridiculous
ReplyDeleteBenny & Lily
That is ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteMOM would not even watch the show because of the whole dropping Pedigree thing. I don't eat their food either but we appreciate what they do to bring awareness about shelter dogs. I say let your mom stand on her box as long as she likes.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Goose
From the mom - I was just browsing around the blogs - didn't have time to get in on the blog hop this time. This whole issue - WKC dropping Pedigree makes me ill but from my experiences with Purina - somehow I do NOT think they are all innocent. Both Shiloh'n Shasta are registered therapy dogs with Delta Society or Pet Partners (not sure when or if the name change) For a long time they had no big time sponsor of their association but a few years ago, Purina became their major corporate sponsor and one of their execs also earned a seat on Delta's board of directors. A few months later, Delta came out with the policy of not allowing dogs being fed a raw diet to be therapy animals. I have never fed S & S a raw diet but I had this problem of someone telling me what I can and cannot feed my dogs, especially when I had already paid for S & S therapy dog registrations plus jumped through all their (Delta) other hoops. The ID badge that I carry, has the Purina logo on it as if I am advertising and promoting Purina. By the way, Delta had never had a policy banning the use of a raw food diet until AFTER Purina became their major sponsor.
ReplyDeleteAnother example - On poisonedpets.com, there was some talk about the real possibility of a link between one brand of Purina Treats and the illness/deaths of many pets. Purina never did take that product off the shelf because testing was inconclusive. Purina had made a tentative deal - plans were being made to somehow compensate those pet owners whose pets were affected. However when test results were inconclusive, those plans were withdrawn. At one time I was doing my own little personal boycott of Purina products. After this latest thing between Pedigree and WKC, I have to wonder - why, after all these years that WKC was sponsored by Pedigree, why did WKC drop Pedigree? Was it really the ads that caused it? And like you, I wonder who the target audience was who were turned off - was it Purina - did they really plant that idea in the minds of WKC? I think I will return to my boycott of Purina - it won't make a difference to anyone else but it does to me.
Kim
Pru's mom here, very interesting (& troubling) information regarding Purina and tainted treats remaining on store shelves. We've checked out poisonedpets.com and plan on following.
DeleteI wonder how Delta can justify banning therapy pets on a raw food diet, surely that must be Purina's influence. Thanks for the input!
Thanks so much for visiting and voting - it's always a delight to meet other animal-loving friends!
ReplyDeleteI did not know about the Pedigree thing until I read your post and I am saddened to hear the news. I have the show on tape but have not had a chanec to watch it yet. Such a shame!
I host Wordless Wednesday each week and wanted to invite you to join the fun and share your favorite photos with us - there are a lot of animal lovers on my site!
Have a fabulous weekend!
Ramona
http://create-with-joy.com
thanks Ramona, we'll be happy to join in!
DeleteWe were not aware of this situation with Pedigree...and we are sad to hear about this news. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletexoxo Chloe and LadyBug
On another blog, the point was made that WKC asked Pedigree to change the commercials, which they did not - YEAH. Purina is BIG in MO - they headquarter in St. Louis. I feed both Pedigree and Purina only when necessary and donated (now with 22 dogs in my home, donations are so welcome!); however, after 24 years of supporting WKC and now reading Kim's take on Purina's "alleged" machinations, I, too, will step away from Purina (unless donated) and support Pedigree all I can (I prefer to feed grain free which is not always possible).
ReplyDeleteSad to wonder who Frei listened to; I have adoptable purebred dogs here; they aren't just on the show floor.
Pru's mom here, good for Pedigree! And God bless you, 22 dogs! We need to stick w/the grainfree due to ear issues w/ Prudence. Purina is a huge company w/ a wide reach apparently. I have cats also, and feed them Friskies, which is a Purina product. I'll have to do some homework and hopefully switch them out to something else soon.
DeleteHow to put this delicately...kennel clubs influence the government's regluation (or lack thereof) of companion animal breeding. According to the USDA, a companion animal is no different from a cow or a chicken produced for food. It is in the best interest of the KCs to promote unrestricted breeding to achieve the perfect "breed standard." It's in the best interest of cheap dog food producers because more dogs = bigger profits....much of it through the kindness of folks who are driven to rescue (bless you all for the heart-breaking work you do!) Shame on all of them - the government, the KCs and the kibble manufacturers. Were it not for their greed, ambition and carelessness, those commercials wouldn't be necessary. They make me so sad, too - I can't watch them.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I so enjoy Prudence's blog! I have a Coonhound named Daisy that I adopted from a rescue in Memphis, TN. Her entire litter was left at a high kill shelter by a breeder whose purebred B&T got with his purebred Blue Tick and created a litter of "mistakes." She's a great beauty and such a sweet girl - she could never be a mistake.
Daisy's Mom
Pru's mom here: We wish they could all find their forever homes. I found Prudence via Petfinder.com. Her story is very similar to Daisy's. Her litter was dropped off at a Georgia high kill shelter, all suffering from Parvo. The wonderful people at 11th Hour Rescue (here in NJ) brought them all to NJ, treated them all and found them homes. I'll always be thankful to 11th Hour. Prudence and I attend their annual Puptoberfest, which celebrates all their successes.
DeleteGive Daisy a hug, there's nothing like a coonhound!
There are some real tear jerker commercials out there and I bet they rarely come close to describing how bad it really is. I always thought the Pedigree commercials were more hopeful and inspiring. Regardless, it is a tragedy that we still have such an overpopulation problem and so many homeless pets and we all could use a bigger dose of that reality and maybe a little less of people in evening attire running their show dogs around the ring. More Puppy Bowl!
ReplyDeleteAgreed Yoda! *high paws* More Puppy Bowl!!!
DeleteI am not a fan of any of the major pet food companies, though I do support Pedigree's initiative to try and help shelter dogs. I think it is sad that Westminster dropped them, however, I think they will be okay and will keep doing what they are doing.
ReplyDeleteWe agree wif our mommy TOTALLY! And we not promoting Pedigree either, since we, too get fed grain free. But RILLY! What Westminster did by dropping Pedigree as their sponsor was not the smartest move on their part...because so many dog lovers are also people who rescue!
ReplyDeletewe meant YOUR mommy. (Sometimes we even agree wif OUR mommy too) MOL!
Delete