Dogs Deserve Better, the 2003 first prize winner of the ASPCA/Chase Pet Protector award, has launched its 2004 poster and billboard campaign.
The Dogs Deserve Better poster campaign hits three aspects of its chained dog awareness efforts: legislation, moral obligation and responsibility, and humane education and emotional needs.
Founder of Dogs Deserve Better Tammy Grimes said, “In our legislation poster, we go straight to the top with a request to President Bush to pass a national ‘No Chains’ law. This poster, with art donated by Rocky Shepheard, depicts President Bush with his recently-deceased dog Spot. Spot looks up at the President and asks him to help his brethren, who never got the chance at a happy life, by passing a national ‘No Chains’ law. Photos of Spot\’s chained comrades are shown circling the illustration.”
This poster will be sent to President Bush with signatures from a currently running petition.
On the moral front, Dogs Deserve Better joins the WWJD phenomenon that has swept the nation.
“What would Jesus do? Would Jesus chain His dogs?” asked Grimes. “Jesus was a kind and loving man, whose dogs would have been companions to him, not chained out back and ignored.”
Jesus is depicted as in the famed painting with the lambs, only now he holds a chained dog, a tear rolling down his cheek. A sea of chained dogs pleads for help at His feet.
The final poster brings to light the emotional connection between man and dog. Shepheard illustrates a man hugging his dog, and it simply states that dogs deserve better than life on a chain or in a pen, with a call to action to bring them into the home and family.
Grimes commented that this poster would be great for humane education classrooms and anywhere a simple statement is needed.
“The poster/billboard campaign hopes to continue to raise awareness of this issue and the plight of the chained dog throughout this area as well as the rest of the country,” explained Grimes. “Our billboard is very focused on family values, and shows a man hugging his dog. They are both happy.
“We want people to realize that not only will the dog be happier if he is living in the home, but the dog has many gifts for its caretakers as well. If you\’re down and you just need some unconditional love, a dog can provide that for you. A clean, happy dog, living in the home, is a wonderful companion and provides love that is sometimes much needed.”
A colorful billboard based on this concept is also available to any community which can raise funds to display the work. Dogs Deserve Better hopes to donate the artwork and $100 to help any group or individual who can raise the money to display it.
Dogs Deserve Better is in its second year of existence, and the organization has grown tremendously since its beginning.
According to Grimes, DDB now has 58 representatives in 21 states, as well as one in Australia. Last year, the organization was recognized by the ASPCA as the 2003 first prize winner in the ASPCA/Chase Pet Protector contest.
Locally, DDB has rescued, spayed or neutered, and vetted and re-homed over 25 dogs in the two-year time frame.
