I have learned a lot from my rescued pets! Building a relationship with my little feral kitty Dora taught me a LOT about patience. Miss Ruby's eagerness to embrace a fresh start after being starved is living proof of the power of optimism. Henry's ability to overcome his harsh history is a ready lesson in the healing strength of forgiveness!
To paraphrase the funny old poster, it does seem as most of the best bits have been learned from my family circus.
While it was disappointing to hear the 'big wheels' of the Westminister Dog show whining about Pedigree's adoption campaign ads .... in truth none of the animal loving community should have been surprised.
Westminister has always been long on style and short on substance. Why would they want to remind viewers that handsome is as handsome does? That there is more to picking a family pet than the beauty of the breed?
At the end of the day, Westminister exists to promote the commercial production of purebred puppies. There are no 'points' to tally up towards a national grand championship.
It is purely a prestige event with no guarantee that the winners will even pass any of the extensive (and expensive) genetic screening that are part and parcel of reputable purebred breeders!
Of course they are not going to want to remind people that the road to pet owner happiness can lead to an animal shelter door! Nor will they wish to stir up any speculation regarding the role that commercial breeders play in the whole bit.
It simply is not sensible to expect Westminister to be a 'reality show'. In the same slick Hollywood style that could portray a hooker having a happy ending with a rich Mr Right, the Westminister Dog Show is all about promoting dreams.
The only reality involved is that the split was 'partly for economic reasons' ... which in realspeak means that Purina pitched them a better deal
Here in the real world ... I'll take those darned pet adoption ads any day over such a slick soft sell!
1 comment:
Well said. "Promotes the commercial production..." is sadly the truth behind dogs shows. Unfortunately the general expect more than beauty when they dish out big bucks for the pure-blooded and titled pooch. They expect temperament and health - and we know that this is not the case.
There is a place, in my opinion, for both rescue dogs and breeder's dogs - both can be wonderful furry companions for people, but it is buyer beware. Becoming a champion at the dog version of Teen America means nothing in itself - other than propping up the breeder's ego or handler's wallet.
Post a Comment