Publication/Event date: 2013-04
Publication name: The Pet Gazette
URL for more info: http://duxburypetgazette.ma.newsmemory.com/ (page 6)
Summary:
Glamorous models and Beatrice, a sassy Basset Hound puppy mill survivor, are the faces of Companion Animal Protection Society’s (CAPS) national campaign designed to educate the public about atrocities in puppy mills and the risks associated with buying dogs at pet shops supplied by these facilities. CAPS is headquartered in Cohasset, MA. The Models Against Pet Shops & Puppy Mills campaign also promotes adoption of rescue and shelter animals. Advertising components include public service announcements airing on PBS TV stations across the country, print ads, billboards, transit posters, social media efforts led by Beatrice, and related public relations and marketing efforts. Beatrice was only 4 mnths. old when CAPS investigators rescued her from a South Dakota puppy mill in 2003. Beatrice was deemed unfit for breeding by the facility due to her deformed elbows. Fast forward to 2013: Beatrice resides in a loving, forever home and is the face of a National campaign designed to educate the public about the pet shop-puppy mill connection. Beatrice has her own business cards and has taken the social media world by storm with more than 1,400 Facebook fans and over 500 connections on LinkedIn. “Our Models Against Pet Shops and Puppy Mills campaign is designed to make sure that beautiful animals like Beatrice are treated with kindness and the utmost respect no matter where they are and who is caring for them,” said CAPS Founder and President Deborah Howard. “It’s so important to inform the public about this important animal protection issue and educate them about the sources of that cute puppy in the window or sold over the Internet.”
Beatrice gladly shares the spotlight with professional model Kiley Wirtz Jennings, who learned about CAPS after viewing a shocking video documentary chronicling the undercover employment of a CAPS investigator who compiled the evidence necessary to convict one of the most notorious dog brokers of animal cruelty and terminate her USDA license. Kiley was so moved by the documentary that she contacted CAPS and offered to donate her time. Additional professional models, make-up artists, clothes stylists, a fashion photographer, a videographer, and rescue dogs, also donated their time.
