Ever since I watched two grade school bullies tease, mock and ultimately body slam an innocent classmate (then do exactly the same to me after I intervened), I’ve been a dyed-in-the-wool underdog fan. I hate boxing, but love the original Rocky movie. I lost my voice for a week after the Chicago Cubs, underdogs (and goats) for more than a century, won the World Series in 2016. In 1964, General Mills sponsored Underdog, one of my favorite cartoon characters.
It’s one thing to admire underdogs, quite another to champion them. This Tuesday, October 22nd, carmaker Subaru has established National Made a Dog’s Day. They are asking all of us to consider adopting a shelter dog who doesn’t quite fit the mold — and may be extra special for having broken it.
“The big dogs. The old dogs. The deaf. The blind. The different. . . . These shelter dogs still love unconditionally. They’re just hoping to find the human who does, too,” Subaru’s campaign video says.
In celebration of the event, Subaru has been donating $10 to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ (ASPCA) for every item purchased from the ASPCA’s National #MakeADogsDay AmazonSmile Charity Lists from October 14th through the 22nd, up to $250,000.
“Pets play a big role in our lives,” says Alan Bethke, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Subaru of America. “We are proud to . . . shine a light on the hundreds of thousands of dogs who are often times passed over, including those with special needs.”
This is not Subaru’s first walk in the park on behalf of shelter animals. Since 2008, the brand has consistently put its money where its hatchbacks are, donating more than $20 million to the ASPCA as part of their Share the Love partnership with the popular humane society. Subaru has also sponsored at least 1,200 adoption events, helping more than 40,000 animals nationwide.
Subaru’s latest campaign gives us “paws” to consider adopting those “less-than-perfect” animals who are perfectly lovable in every sense. Many of us were born with disabilities or acquired them during our lives. Some of us are thought of as “used up,” simply because we’re older. It might help us to remember a time when we believed we were less than our best or we realized that we couldn’t do the things we used to. Did that make us any less worthy or lovable?
Let’s take another look at a shelter’s “damaged goods.” Missing eyes, ears and legs don’t dull an animal’s zest for life. Frosted snouts haven’t curbed a canine’s hunger for human connection.
Even if we’re not ready to take that step, we can love our fur-babies for who they’ve been — and regardless of who they become.