Sign this petition to take off new Verizon commercial!

I guess the reason it upsets me, is why take a breed that is CONSTANTLY being criticized and make it look even worse? IMO, there is no reason to add to the pit bull's negative image. Junkyard dogs have nothing to do with a cell phone, it's a pointless commercial.

Laurelin_429

So now what? We don't show any dogs in a negative light in the media? Not going to happen. What about the dobe commercial and what about the attack rottweilers in the dark knight? All annoy me but I really don't know the point of the petitions. Other breeds have been portrayed similarly recently with no big outroar.

Well, the good news is that if you feel petitions are pointless you do not have to sign them. 

I cringe whenever ANY breed of dog is portrayed in an negative or inaccurate light.  Both of the breeds I love have suffered from the way they are portrayed in popular culture.  With pits it's the usual big/tough/mean/evil dog and with labs it's the "perfect" family dog that apparently comes already trained--these are images that do neither breed any favors.  God only knows what the fallout from the "Marley and Me" movie will be--like we don't have enough clueless people going out and buying labs from random--erm--"breeders."  

Most other breeds are not in the current wave of breed ban hysteria.  In an era of manditory spay neuter and breed ban mania this commercial or any other can impact folks in any number of unintended ways.  Portraying dogs as dangerous for monetary gain is just not a good thing.  

Regarding the doberman phone commercial,  the entire tone is different.  And 50 years ago would have echoed the same issues currently facing bull breeds. 

Its especially bad because Pit Bulls are being banned all over the U.S.    They have a horrible reputation the way it is, and they don't need to be portrayed as the tied up mean growling snarling dogs that are going to kill somone.  This commercial assures people that the Pit Bulls are exactly the way the media is painting them.

The Pit Bulls just plain do not need this commercial at this time...its just not good.

AND we are obviously not the only ones to think so. Don't know if anyone else got this email...but I did...saying that the request to remove the commerical is being honored.   Way to go...for all the DOG LOVERS out there!

You signed the petition, Make Verizon Accountable. Can They Hear Us Now?, on Jul 17, 2008.   The petition received 5083 signatures. The petition author, R. Brace and the ASPCA online community, has now closed the petition and posted the results:

Message from the petition author, R. Brace and the ASPCA online community:

---------------------------------

I have just spoken with  Steve Schwartzman, Executive Coordinator, who told me that the offensive ad has been pulled in all markets. Thank you to all who signed this petition and made the calls! Mr. Schwartzman was very understanding of our feelings, and admitted that they have received quite a bit of heat over this commercial.
Each and every one of you made the difference.

Thank you again.

Sincerely,

Renee Brace and the ASPCA Online Community

IrishSetterGrl

. The dog is a pit bull, yes, but how much sense would it make to have a golden retriever on the chain, growling and charging?

I hear ya BUT a GR dosnt have overpopualtion issues, extreme abuse/neglect rates and thugs dont go buy a GR to make them look tough, LOL.

I try not to get all uppity everytime the media bashes pit bulls, while its not fair it is reality and I know the general public does have some valid reasons to fear them because they are the main dogs used unethically.

My issue with this and the Dobie commericial is that these comapnies are making money off of a commerical done in bad taste.

Laurelin_429

So now what? We don't show any dogs in a negative light in the media? Not going to happen. What about the dobe commercial and what about the attack rottweilers in the dark knight? All annoy me but I really don't know the point of the petitions. Other breeds have been portrayed similarly recently with no big outroar.

Well its not YOUR breed, I'm sure you could care less. Nobody has shunned away from your paps or not rented to you because of your "vicous paps" If this was a breed you share your bed with and care for wholeheartedly I'm not sure you'd have the same view. How many pictures of burned, hung, or electrocuted paps have you come across? The problem isnt so much Verizons intent but the fact that its a touchy subject and they should have used better taste. Rotties, Dobies and GSD's arnt being overbred and abused. Not to mention in the Dobie commercial the dog is actually being used for what it was bred for and not being abused, ie chained up in a dirt lot.

In the movie "No Country for Old Men" I didnt get pissy about the pit bull chasing down the man, its was a part in a movie and not the sole basis of where they made their money.

I'm not saying they shouldnt use dominant breeds as a selling point but it was in bad taste and could easily contribute to some loser kid going to buy one to look tough. Its not so easy to guy buy a rottie or dobie for $25, LOL. They cost too much

AuroraLove

Well its not YOUR breed,

Yes...you have a point for sure.   When we are a little closer to the breed it becomes more of an issue.   Its not my breed....but I sure don't want them going after mine next...and with a giant breed, its possible!

But they pulled it...so hopefully a lot of companies learned a lesson!

Laurelin_429

So now what? We don't show any dogs in a negative light in the media? Not going to happen. What about the dobe commercial and what about the attack rottweilers in the dark knight? All annoy me but I really don't know the point of the petitions. Other breeds have been portrayed similarly recently with no big outroar.

 No offense, but I hardly think you could even begin to understand what it feels like (as mentioned above) to have people pull their children away from your dog just because of what she looks like; to have family members not want to come visit because of the "vicious and unstable" dog you have that the only reason they pass judgment is from what they hear on the news, to have the threat of your dog being taken away because it looks like another dog that did something bad.

 Try and be a little sympathetic.  If Papillons (which you know I have one too btw) were being banned all over the country for some stupid reason you would be a little huffy if you saw them being portrayed for something they are not.  

Thankfully the commercial was pulled thanks to the petition.  So I guess it wasn't pointless after all.

 EDITED TO ADD:

 I wanted to say too that I thought I "knew what it was like" and supported BSL before I got an APBT.  When I did get Falon, I saw what people really, truly went through.  It's really hard to understand something unless you've gone through the discrimination yourself, and I can validate this through my own personal experience.   I am not trying to be rude, nor am I trying to say you are insubordinate in this conversation because you don't have a Pit Bull.  I am just saying (in response to your rather strong comment) that sometimes you have to take a step back and know when to say "wow, maybe I don't know how it feels and maybe it is a bigger deal than I thought."