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The Super Bowl commercials were a bust this year. I’ll admit the screaming squirrel was funny. The Clydesdale horse in training was pretty good. But the best commercials I’ve seen this year didn’t air during the Super Bowl.
Have you seen the Pedigree dog adoption drive commercials? In one, an abandoned dog named Echo gets up excitedly when he realizes two people have come to his animal shelter to adopt a dog. Echo puts on his biggest smile and tilts his head just so, but the couple moves on.
You’d swear Echo has tears in his eyes when he realizes he won’t be adopted. I recently met a dog in the Rockwall Animal Shelter who knows the feeling. Marble was dropped off on the Monday following Thanksgiving last year. He’s a beautiful Gordon Setter crossbreed who’s probably about three years old. His most striking feature is his piercing eyes. One of his eyes is so blue you’d think you were gazing into a marble.
Marble wasn’t alone in his misfortune. His mate was dropped off at the Rockwall shelter at the same time. I don’t know why I continue to be baffled by this, but I am. Someone dropped off two perfectly good dogs that love to go for walks and respond beautifully to commands. “Marble’s awesome on a leash,” says Rockwall Animal Services Officer Manny Salazar. “You can go for a walk for miles and that dog will be right there, enjoying the whole walk.”
Just like the dog in the commercial, Marble watched as his mate was adopted. He’s been alone at the Rockwall shelter for nearly three months. He still holds his head high and often has the exuberance of a young pup.
Even though he’s smart as a whip, neutered and free of heartworms, you know there’s bound to be some disclaimers. The animal services officers report that Marble hasn’t been friendly toward other dogs since his mate was adopted, so they don’t know how he’ll react around small children. The other bad news? Marble eats like a pig. “I noticed that he wanted seconds because he kept scratching at the little kennel door,” Officer Salazar reports. “Every morning now I give him an extra bowl at the end of feeding.”
It’s a good thing Marble enjoys walking. Otherwise you may seem him doing commercials for Weight Watchers.
Michael Kitkoski is chairman of the Rockwall Animal Adoption Center Advisory Board. If you have an interesting “tail” to share, e-mail him at rockwallpets@charter.net.
Marble’s links:
See the Bridgestone Super Bowl commercial.
See the Budweiser Super Bowl commercial.
Visit the Pedigree Adoption Drive web site.
