Sarah McLachlan ASPCA commerical

[IslandMutts]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8EYocy_DN...elated&search=

Very effective commerical. It makes me bawl my eyes out every time I see it. I just want to save them all!

[chul3l3ies1126]

I am going to be completely honest about this... every time this commercial comes on I have to change the channel. The first time I saw it, I cried so horribly and felt terrible that I do not have the money to contribute to animals that need it. It comes on about a hundred times when I'm watching Animal Planet at night, or CNN at night, so I am constantly changing channels. It just really upsets me, because I cannot give them money, they are obviously going for that effect because they play it over and over again.
One of these days I'll be able to.

[Inga]

It is a lovely commercial. Imagine a world where more people used their star power for something good. Imagine had Michael Vick used his money to save animals rather then hurt them. Imagine if more of them preached spay/neuter instead of committing crimes against animals and Humanity. It is hard to watch knowing there is little we can do. We all can make a difference no matter how small it is, it helps. There are many ways to help also, it does not have to be money. Maybe donating a bag of food or old blankets, towels. Volunteering, maybe just making phone calls for your area shelter. There is simply so much that can be done. I have seen this commercial in the past but it is lovely. Thank you for sharing.

[Lorina]

I have an almost Pavlovian reaction so that just hearing the song from the commerical gets me choked up. The little one-eyed dog makes me melt. And the kittens. Oh, the kittens.

I love dogs, but homeless and neglected cats really tug at my heartstrings. It's probably from working for the local shelter and knowing such a large percentage of the cats won't make it.

Sally Struthers commercials never had that kind of effect on me.

[IslandMutts]

Yes, kudos to Sarah McLachlan for using her fame to do something good. And I totally agree with you Lorina... Sally Struthers never motivated me to do anything, but this commercial made me call in and donate (once I stopped crying).

It came on again last night while my boyfriend was upstairs getting a drink... he came back down and I'm crying - he asks me what's wrong and i tell him "It's that ASPCA commercial again" *sniffle* He just laughs at me now...

What does it for me is seeing those poor scared looking dogs... Like they've never experienced love in their lives...

Oh man i'm tearing up again

[Renoman]

I've always loved this song. Since hearing the song associated with the ASPCA commercial, I can't listen to it without bawling like a baby.

[zettarose]

I am a bawling mess now. Thank you for that.
I have not seen this commercial, until now.
I love Sarah MacLachlan, I love this song. It has new meaning to me now.

[Lorina]

As great as this commercial is, I do want to point out that unless you live in the NYC area, donations are best given to your local rescue groups and shelters.

The ASPCA is a great organization. But they're not a parent organization for all SPCAs. They're one of thousands and thousands of shelters that need our help. They just have a bigger advertising budget than most.

[FriendsOfZoe]

I'm assuming that another thread specifically referencing this commercial v. the Sally Struthers ones was started largely in response to this thread.

The Sarah McLachlan commercial makes me cry. The Sally Struthers and other Save the Starving Children in Africa commercials don't. I posted elsewhere about the fact that the blatant religious tactic of the Africa commercials tends to not only not work for me, but in fact irritates me enough to change the channel because I'm in a tizzy (not because I am crying and don't want to see the poor animals anymore).

But beyond that, I think we can all agree that this particular Sarah McLachlan commercial is very effective because it is very well-made and perfectly accomplishes its advertising goal. It uses an emotional, very sad song and shows photos of adorable dogs and cats (and puppies and kittens) who are not having fun, but laying around looking rather miserable, with the implication that all of these adorable animals might be euthanized if we don't get off our butts and help! Of course hearing that song on the radio makes people want to cry--it's a ridiculously sad song, and it made me cry even before I ever saw that commercial.

I just want to reiterate that I don't have any problem with people seeing this commercial and wanting to get up and donate to help animals. Also, that the starving children commercials don't affect you in the same way is normal and does not make anyone a bad person. The ASPCA commercial is extremely effective advertising, and I personally think that maybe the starving children commercials should take a lesson from the ASPCA's work and model some of their own commercials similarly.

[SammyDog]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XSPXgFggOek

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sq2jY1fn-B4

I prefer this one, lol. Makes me chuckle

[IslandMutts]

I'm assuming that another thread specifically referencing this commercial v. the Sally Struthers ones was started largely in response to this thread.

The Sarah McLachlan commercial makes me cry. The Sally Struthers and other Save the Starving Children in Africa commercials don't. I posted elsewhere about the fact that the blatant religious tactic of the Africa commercials tends to not only not work for me, but in fact irritates me enough to change the channel because I'm in a tizzy (not because I am crying and don't want to see the poor animals anymore).

But beyond that, I think we can all agree that this particular Sarah McLachlan commercial is very effective because it is very well-made and perfectly accomplishes its advertising goal. It uses an emotional, very sad song and shows photos of adorable dogs and cats (and puppies and kittens) who are not having fun, but laying around looking rather miserable, with the implication that all of these adorable animals might be euthanized if we don't get off our butts and help! Of course hearing that song on the radio makes people want to cry--it's a ridiculously sad song, and it made me cry even before I ever saw that commercial.

I just want to reiterate that I don't have any problem with people seeing this commercial and wanting to get up and donate to help animals. Also, that the starving children commercials don't affect you in the same way is normal and does not make anyone a bad person. The ASPCA commercial is extremely effective advertising, and I personally think that maybe the starving children commercials should take a lesson from the ASPCA's work and model some of their own commercials similarly.

I just caught the other thread that referenced this one and I was about to post in defense of myself, but you said it all so well here

Bottom line - I don't necessarily like dogs more than children, but the commercial in support of saving the dogs is much more effective, that's all.

[the-tenth]

I just caught the other thread that referenced this one and I was about to post in defense of myself, but you said it all so well here

Bottom line - I don't necessarily like dogs more than children, but the commercial in support of saving the dogs is much more effective, that's all.

And if you would have read the OP on the other thread, then you would have known that you didn't have to defend yourself. That entire thread was about people caring more about animals than other people.

[IslandMutts]

And if you would have read the OP on the other thread, then you would have known that you didn't have to defend yourself. That entire thread was about people caring more about animals than other people.

I *did* read the OP. That's what made me feel defensive! I felt singled out since you sort of quoted me, took it out of context, and then said it was "sad". I didn't get thru the whole thread yet, but I certainly read the first post.

[the-tenth]

Well I'm sorry if you felt singled out. I don't know how else to say that it wasn't about a particular person, or a particular thread, other than saying "this is not about a particular thread or a particular person". It was about a way of thinking. And I referred to a bare minimum of 3 posts.

[ritabooker]

One of these days I'll be able to. by chul31...Yes, you will be able to.
But don't feel bad about it now. You are taking care of your own dog, and I think we sometimes forget to give ourselves enough credit for that.

[Occy]

was it me or were there a whole lot of one eyed animals in that ad?

I dont subscribe to bleeding heart tactics - they do the same thing for you to donate to starving kids in africa

i will give to a shelter close to me, because it is close to me, i like its work and i am cleaning up a part of my immediate world

before you jump down my throat - i have run german shepherd rescue in australia for the past few years - I dont expect everyone to help me - but i would expect that gsd people would think of me, and indeed they do and so animals lives are saved

[catlady]

whenever i hear this song, each time I feel tears rolling down my cheeks..It is the eyes of the shelter animals , also the beauty of her voice..It just goes through my soul, she for sure sings from heart and soul...

Also. please If you donate , try to find shelters around you..So many volunteers putting their every effort any means to try to save animals going into city ponds..They do not get any financial help except donations coming from people around the area..whenever I see one of them closing and animals being turned down to other shelters it bleeds my heart...Please look around, it is not always the money, you can be volunteer too as part time worker...So please also help the ones who is really having hard time..specially sanctuaries...

I also wanted to let you know, one special lady from NY State, turned her own her farm into a rehab center, she was a nurse, and decided years ago many handicapped animals are being put into sleep, and she quit her job, and decided to open her farm for handicapped animals, to make sure they have the best of everything..now she has 200 handicapped animals living happily no cages except birds, even we got 2 handicapped cats about to be put into sleep because they could not find home..Now they are happily living and even got much bigger...and April 28 Tuesday they will be on Oprah if u like to watch.. theri site is www.angelsgate.org

I am happy to be here and see all kind hearted people here. Just now coomercial came up again..snifffffffff....

[gizmobaby]

My boyfriend can't watch the video, because it makes him really upset. Especially with all the sad, longing faces and there's really not much that we can do. I don't like to watch the video either, but part of me feels hopeful that someone out there is so touched, that they'll actually do something about it. I don't have much money right now, but whenever I get the chance to make a difference (donate a few here and there -- food, cash, whatever), I always make sure I do so.

[Must Love Mutts]

My entire family gets so annoyed when I start yelling, "Change it! Change it!" everytime it comes on. I've never made it the entire way through. It's so sad. I already know those animals exist, but watching that ad and seeing thier little faces is just too much. It upsets me that I don't have the money to donate to ASPCA. I asked for a membership for Christmas, but didn't get one.

[Pegasus]

If Im not mistaken, I think I joined the ASPCA for $15. you will then start to get lots of stuff in the mail about donating, but that is ok. you also get emails about ways to email congress to make a difference in animal anti-cruelty issues, which I do.

I also balled at this commercial, and I am not affected near as much at the save the children, one.org, ect stuff.....AND Im a doctor..how horrible is that? It is what it is...I would have been a vet if I could have actually handled it...