Westminster Dog Show Rebuffs Shelter Dogs

For 24 years, Pedigree has been the sponsor of the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, but not anymore. This year, Westminster switched sponsors to Purina. The reason? Pedigree’s commercials promoting adoption from shelters are not the image Westminster desires.

It is well known that Westminster is all about purebred dogs. As the website says, the show is “Storied in its history, rich in its tradition, The Westminster Kennel Club’s famed annual dog show is unique, prestigious, and elegant for all concerned.”

It’s an all too familiar story of the haves and have-nots. In OWS parlance, shelter dogs are the “trying to survive” 99% while purebreds are the pampered and privileged 1%.

So a Pedigree commercial like this one is too distasteful for the Westminster crowd. Too bad!

Now, this is certainly not a breathtaking news story. But it is important to point out what is wrong with Westminster’s decision is that it’s promoting the attitude that purebred dogs are superior to mixed breed dogs. The Canine Diversity Project tries to educate breeders about the dangers of inbreeding, which leads to the loss of genetic diversity. This has a dramatic negative effect on the health of dogs who are over-bred.

As a mutt lover myself, I do not watch the Westminster Dog Show. How about you? Many animal advocates are disappointed with the Westminster decision. Not so much because they are concerned which company sponsors the show. It’s because of the remarkable work Pedigree has done in educating the public about the plight of shelter dogs needing adoption. It just feels, well… snobbish!

A Pedigree video narrated by David Duchovny aired during the 2010 and 2011 Westminster Dog Shows says it all. Shelter dogs are described with dignity in a straightforward message. It doesn’t get anymore straight forward than this:

“Shelter dogs aren’t broken. They’ve simply experienced more life. If they were human, we’d call them wise. They would be the ones with tales to tell and stories to write. The ones dealt a bad hand, and who responded with courage. Do not pity a shelter dog. Adopt one.”

Melissa Martellotti, a brand communications manager for Mars Petcare U.S. (MARS makes the Pedigree brand) says dog show officials informed Pedigree they were initiating the split because of concerns over the adoption ad campaign, according to the New York Times.

“They’ve shared with us, when we parted ways, that they felt that our advertising was focused too much on the cause of adoption and that wasn’t really a shared vision,” she said. The kennel club is “focused on the purebred mission,” said Martellotti. And that includes the adoption of pure breeds over mixed breeds.

Perhaps Westminster should be informed that about 25% of shelter dogs are actually purebreds that were surrendered or found as strays. And perhaps it would be wise to let the public know that the AKC — which sponsors Westminster — has no problem with people purchasing purebreds that started life in puppy mills.

If you are the type to fight for the underdog, you can contact Westminster to let them know how you feel. Contact David Frei, Director of Communications for Westminster at (212) 213-3212 or email him at david@westminsterkennelclub.org. The important thing isn’t to get Westminster to bring back Pedigree as a sponsor. It’s to educate the club about the power of public attitude toward shelter dogs.

To paraphrase some bumper stickers, tell him “my shelter dog can beat your purebred dog any day of the week!”

Related Reading:

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Diane L.

6:59AM PST on Mar 5, 2012

Not sure "amusing" would be the right word to use when asking why anyone would comment about an event that is now long past, nor does it make any sense to direct a comment to those involved with such an event, as it's not likely they're going to read a blog in Care.2. What a waste of time & energy. I guess some people just like to see their opinions in print, maybe?

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Past Member .

5:34PM PST on Mar 4, 2012

Westminster - I was going to pen a well reasoned argument for your badly thought out decision to drop your long time partner - Pedigree Dog Food. But in the end, I just have one word for you.

Snobs....

Julia T.

6:23AM PST on Feb 28, 2012

To hell with dog shows...

Rossy O.

9:53PM PST on Feb 27, 2012

Most of my years we had dogs that were shelter dogs of mixed breeds, later I rescued several pure bred dogs, and again back to cross. All have been excellent dogs with their own characters.
I have pure bred at this stage and again one, a rescue from a puppy mill.
I do and have shown them, but now in the desexed classes. They still take out top placings.
I love all animals, dogs & horses are at top perhaps, but I want to see more shows embrace desexed sections in their shows.
It stops puppy mill exploitation, back yard breeders, shows the breed, protects professional breeding bloodlines, and it is fun to meet friends with the same or similar interests.
Shame on the Westminster Dog Show Association.

Nancy L.

3:31PM PST on Feb 22, 2012

Thanks for posting.

Sarah M.

11:19AM PST on Feb 22, 2012

This is so wrong! And by the way, mutts are better.

4:18AM PST on Feb 21, 2012

Elsa, no problem, and I also feed semi raw diet sometimes. When my purebred Golden got very obese, and refused to eat any of the low cal dogfoods, I tried everything. He had issues with being skin-sensitive, as many Goldens are, and he either would start licking his paws, or lose hair on his rump or refuse to eat it without a bunch of crap added on top..........like bacon grease! That is sort of counter productive to a fat dog! So, I fed him 1/3 of his regular amount of kibble (an anti-allergen, grain free, low cal kibble) and the rest was raw.....raw ground turkey, cooked brown rice, canned unsalted green beans and a a raw egg yolk (no whites). Sometimes he got yogurt or canned pumpkin. I still feed those things to my dogs sometimes, depending on if I can find them on sale, and the kibble I feed is grain free.

colleen p.

7:10PM PST on Feb 20, 2012

yeah. It was the other dog that "did" something right?

so, in the perfect world, with god-knows-what mutts, or a few suriving breeds/flavor/generas, what would they be?

should "trooo animal lovers" keep a breed that was desiged to kill? "I hates the huntingz but I have hunting breed dogs, hunters should die grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!1111oneone"

I am wondering if I should make a psudo gag petition for the AKC to let the Carolina dog in. people can have American Dingo as pets.

mari s.

4:11PM PST on Feb 20, 2012

The two groups aren't competing and shouldn't be competing -- i'm disappointed with Westminster -- letting the world know to go out there and adopt a shelter animal is a wonderful message -- think of the dogs and the happiness it would bring them to find a loving and comfortable home. I love all dogs -- shelter dogs and the purebred -- bringing these animals into your life to share caring and comfort is noble and fantastic. Westminster -- no one is forcing you not to love your purebreeds but showing appreciation for and respect to all dogs would be a better road for you to follow. What do you have to lose? Really! Absolutely nothing! Don't ever forget that we are all unique and equal -- no one is better than the other just because...

Elsa G.

9:59AM PST on Feb 20, 2012

Sorry Colleen. I;m afraid I don't keep up with who makes what dog food as I have fed raw for the last 15 years.