RSCPA Complain About ‘Abused’ Dog in Volkswagen TV Advert - Let’s Get Our Priorities Right Shall We?
Posted By Ryan O'Meara Date: 29/03 Posted Under: Animal Charities, Canine ColumnsA television advert for Volkswagen has caught the attention of the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals who have claimed a dog used in the commercial is “abused”.
Over 200 people are reported to have complained about the ad (below) on the basis that the dog in the car was not wearing a seatbelt and the dog depicted as being ‘less confident’ looks to be nervous.
The 30 second advert for the Polo model shows a dog, a digitally enhanced Jack Russell Terrier, to appear as though singing in the front of a car and then cuts to a scene where a dog is shown as timid and withdrawn.
The RSPCA are quoted: “Our concern is how they got the dog to behave in that way. Its tail is between its legs, which are shivering, and its head is lowered. This is classic abused animal behaviour which appears to be real.
“We’re also concerned why you need to show an ‘abused’ dog to sell cars.”
But a spokesperson for VW cars hit back: “The dog was trained to behave in that way. It was not harmed.
“The owner was just out of shot and a vet was on hand at all times.”
But the RSPCA are still not convinced:
“We have asked how it was filmed and have been told the dog was acting. But we are very disappointed that Volkswagen feel it necessary to portray a dog suffering to sell cars, whether it was genuine or staged.”
Volkswagen have no plans to pull the ad, saying: “The dogs are highly trained. They can do almost anything. They can shake if they are happy or excited - they were not scared,” a spokeswoman said.
“There is a fantasy element to the advert. We would hope that just as when people see the dog singing, they know it’s not real, when they see it shaking, they know it is not really scared.”
The advert is certainly eye catching and memorable. But there is a worry. A deep concern. Something troubling us.
No, it’s not the ‘abused’ dog. It’s the RSPCA.
What on earth leads them to be able to conclude this dog is in any way, shape or form “abused”, when all they’ve seen is a 30 second piece of television trickery?
How worrying that the organisation who’s objective is to identify and act upon cases of genuinely “abused” animals can reach the conclusion that this highly trained animal actor was “abused”.
Having seen various highly trained animals who work on TV or movie sets, I have only ever witnessed superb levels of care and attention. I absolutely know for certain that the amount of people, rules and regulations covering the work of TV/movie animals is stringent and I also know for a fact that it is certainly possibly to train an animal to act out a particular emotion on command. In the case of this particular breed, the Jack Russell, I’ve encountered many who will stand and ’shiver’ when they are eating or at other times where they are perfectly unperturbed emotionally.
It is a genuine and real concern that the RSPCA saw fit to label this dog as “abused”. It surely raises questions about credibility in the eyes of other cases where a dog may genuinely have been abused. It smacks of bandwagon jumping and doesn’t reflect well on an organisation who do some fantastic, outstanding animal welfare work. It is also very difficult to marry up when factored against the adverts the RSPCA and other animal welfare groups run themselves, often showing horrendously upsetting scenes of abused dogs, dead animals or dogs simply looking very sad and upset.
So, come on RSPCA, let’s try and get our priorities right shall we. VW TV adverts showing trained animal actors are not “abusing” dogs. If this IS abuse, it really waters down the power of the description. There are plenty of travesties of animal justice going on all around us and we have an ongoing battle to combat them. Describing the shaky JRT as an abused dog does a disservice to the credibility of animal welfare campaigners everywhere.
Author DetailsRyan O'Meara is editor-in-chief of K9 Magazine, the lifestyle magazine for dog lovers. He lives in the East Midlands with his own two dogs, Mia and Chloe. - See this author's webpage
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Saturday, March 29th, 2008 at 10:18 am and is filed under Animal Charities, Canine Columns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I think the RSPCA should stop throwing stones as is advised to those living in glass houses. The RSPCA have enough issues of their own to address and the public has lost most of its` belief in this once respected animal charity.
The Government have put the RSPCA above reproach and the media hide all the negative actions yet public opinion is declining. The Government are ALL too keen to pass the bill and accountability into the private, non statutory sector. But we the public Know that every £1 donated into the charity sector is a £1 saved by this Government.
Vena….you simply must put this up on the Forum…..it’s just so hilariously typical of the RSPCA.
I think that the RSPCA should be applauded for highlighting the fact that Volkswagen had ‘abused’ a ’singing’ dog in an advert….hang on a minute, how many dogs can sing! If they could not see that the advert was a fantasy image, then they the RSPCA are to be considered alongside Cromwells puritans who tried to ban dancing and Christmas as maniacal sourpusses who fail to see that the advert was not real and that dogs do not sing. if they did people would not be bothered by barking dogs but by dogs singing possibly ‘blues’ type melodies all day and night!
As usual the RSPCA via its animal liberation type element sees the use of a trained dog and the use of digitally enhanced images as animal abuse? What about as K9 Magazine rightly points out the ’staged’ reconstruction adverts of heroic RSPCA officials saving all manner of animals from evil humans, why is nobody complaining about those depictions of ‘abused’ animals, oh yes, I forgot the RSPCA is of the ‘do as I say, not as I do school’!
As usual they the RSPCA are wasting public donations and their own efforts on finger pointing when unfortunately at this moment in time there is a lot of finger pointing going on at the RSPCA for various matters such as failing to divulge evidence to the defence teams of people accused of animal abuse by a so called charitable organisation that seemingly operates as an enforcement agency for the government.
The RSPCA is also meddling politically as usual in the dangerous dog debate, why are they holding a seminar with a Chief Constable who does not even like dogs and the RSPCA proudly proclaim Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom as ‘outspoken’, wonder if the RSPCA is manipulating a political move to deal with dangeorus dogs and dogs in general? Even before this seminar is held I can guess what they will be after, one of the things that they the RSPCA and their ‘guests’ will be calling for will be some kind of dog registration scheme but do not think that it will be down to the RSPCA or police to enforce, it will be the councils who are not even represented on the list of speakers by the RSPCA.
Make your mind up RSPCA work on behalf of the people who give you money for the protection of animals or become an official enforcement arm of the government. You cannot be a charity and also work for the government, which one is it? if your going to do more governmental enforcement type work get rid of your ‘charity’ image. The RSPCA desk types who rarely operate in the frontline betray the inspectors who work so hard!
What is wrong with the RSPCA?
I am in the U.S., but I’ve heard from fellow animal advocates in the UK that the RSPCA doesn’t really do things to help animals, but in watching the tape of the dog, the part where it is hanging it’s head and trembling looks like very real fear to me. AND, I am well aware that there is STILL abuse of animals in movies and television work. My website (re: the behind-the-scenes abuse of service dogs) is stoplynching.com - Oh yeah, and the abusers named on my website, and their shills, lie about their abuse of dogs, too.
im sorry but this advert is being blown right out of proportion…the rspca need to stop the banning of funny adverts like this..and get out and help pets that need it!!!love this advert sooo funny
The easiest way to put it
GET A LIFE!
The dog is singing it is obviously FAKE!
When I go training up my kennels with my dog there is a dog just like this. He shakes and he is still happy!!
He is working, just like this dog.
With the comment that his tail is between his legs and his head down showing he is being abused
I have a dog and he is the greatest thing about me. When he is WORKING his tail is also between his legs and he is looking down towards the ground. I would NEVER abuse my dog! Ever!
They use a dog as the slogan is Polo Confidence.
I agree they don’t have to use a dog but a normal person doesnt sing out in a car and then when they go somewhere start mumbling and being scared. The dog attracts attention which is good buisness for VW. The dog is given confidence within a place he is used to and is scared when somewhere new and many people are like this but they dog manages to show this really well.
Just remember RSPCA. Concentrate more on the dogs that are homeless and abused rather than a dog that has its LOVING OWNER with it!
[...] Volkswagen advert, featuring a ’singing’ dog drew a slew of complaints from viewers and even attracted criticism from the [...]