This is an open letter to the host of the latest dogfomercial, and those associated with its production: You are correct, pet owners need to be more responsible. You are absolutely right that they need to have more consideration for others and for the environment. Yes, they should clean up after their pets, but I have just recently seen one of your programs, and it is very disturbing. I am speaking of the one with a song in the background where a man is singing about killing the dog next door, strangling the dog to death, and even speaks of killing the man next door who owned the dog (which is now strangled to death).
I am sure you are aware of what kind of a society we live in. Maybe you do not understand the power of a subliminal message? People are very capable of violence towards each other and I personally know of cases where people have indeed killed a neighbor’s dog for reasons described in this song. These background lyrics should not be supported or continued to play in your commercials.
Your message to dog owners speaks of personal responsibility; you might want to take a moment and look at your own in this matter. This song about killing a neighbor’s dog and the neighbor himself is very dangerous in the world we live in. Please find more appropriate background music to get your message across. Music that portrays and speaks of violence and harm to a pet and a human being cannot be accepted, even in jest.
The host of the show may also want to look at how she speaks to the people she is complaining about on the beach. People will be much more inclined to listen to the message if it is presented in a less aggressive manner and spoken from a place of trying to educate people instead of being rude or snide. It is one’s attitude that invites these dog owners to “bark” back. Usually, when the messenger comes from a place of trying to help instead of a place of resentment, folks will hear the message and not the anger and they will then be more likely to change their habits.
Alethea Guthrie