Homes for Dogs Project

Max, the Adopted Dog

Every pet deserves a warm, loving home. Unfortunately, not everyone has one. They often languish in shelters where they are killed (euthanized) if no one adopts them, or in rescue, waiting for that "forever home."

Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC (www.coldwellbanker.com) is aiming to find homes for 20,000 dogs this year. Yes, you read that correctly. This ambitious campaign will seek to match dogs with loving families. For those of us who believe that a house is not a home without a four-legged family member, this is a great idea. I'm sure the homeless dogs would agree.

Their 30-second ad spot which is premiering during the 87th Academy Awards, shows a real success story. Max was seen on Adopt-a-Pet.com and adopted. Coldwell Banker hopes to 20,000 more dogs will find their forever homes as a result of this campaign.

"Our previous spots have showcased the joy of coming home, so this year it made sense to portray who's on the other side of the door," said Sean Blankenship, chief marketing officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC

Coldwell Banker® is simultaneously announcing their first ever "Homes for Dogs Project" by teaming up with Adopt-a-Pet.com, the largest non-profit pet adoption website in North America, the campaign aims to find homes for 20,000 dogs in North America.

I have an advanced "peek" at the commercial for you that opens with an originally produced country song.  Enjoy you early-bird look at the commercial created by Siltanen & Partners. (http://siltanen.com)

Meet the Dogs of the Homes for Dogs Commercial!

I hope you'll enjoy this sneak preview as much as I have! I hope the right people will open their hearts and homes to the right dogs - and cats!  Yes, that's a hint!  I hope they will do a campaign for cats before too long!  Thanks, Coldwell Banker!!

Meanwhile, if you're interested in giving a forever home to a dog, follow this link:

http://bit.ly/HomesForDogs

Renting Dogs?!

I was horrified to learn that there's a company that rents dogs out to people who are dogless. They claim that the dogs are chosen from shelters. Mainstream press has picked up this story as if it were something good. I cannot imagine how they can report that without thinking about the issues and presenting more information.

Personally, I think this is a horrible idea. Can you imagine the shelter dog who has lost his home for whatever reason, suddenly being shuttled from home to home, caregiver to caregiver with no sense of security? Just as he thinks he's found someone to love him forever, that forever home that every dog needs and deserves, he's off to the next person.

Look further than that and think about the people in our disposable society who think that a dog is to have for a little while, not for its lifetime. Where is there sense of responsibility? Where is the bonding? Will any two people treat the dog the same way? Dogs need consistency in diet, training, attention, love. They give us so much in return. Is this the best we can do? Turn them into yet another disposable commodity to fill someone's fleeting fantasy of having a dog for just a little while?

I don't know whether to scream or cry.

Please tell me how you feel about this latest wrinkle in the world of dogs.