The UKs largest dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust, has launched an integrated brand campaign to show owners and their dogs how they are the best partner to support them through life. Created by VCCP, the ‘Ground Dog Day’ campaign aims to set a vision for the charity as it moves to reframe Dogs Trust as a charity that supports owners and their dogs through all stages of life. 

Dogs Trust has seen an overwhelming increase in owners feeling like they have no choice but to give up their much-loved dogs because they cannot afford to keep them, receiving over 1,000 calls a week. The campaign highlights the help and support dog owners and their dogs can get from Dogs Trust so they don’t have to make the ultimate sacrifice and lose their dog. The campaign is running for four weeks on TV, social media and OOH.

It centres on a film that shows the joy that dogs bring, following one dog, Milo, and his owner through a typical day, from the dog jumping on the owner’s bed in the morning to wake him up, through a walk, a game of fetch and a trip to the pub, before the dog jumps up on the owner’s bed once more as he’s about to go to sleep.

The hero film is accompanied by four 10-second social videos, ‘Behaviour’, ‘Help’, ‘Recall’ and ‘Support’ that aim to give dog owners simple and quick advice, delivered in a positive way. The first video, ‘Behaviour’, shows a dog ripping up different household items such as letters and slippers and tells the owner how this could be a sign that the dog is distressed. The second film, ‘Help’, shows a dog eating on different days and lets people know that Dogs Trust has partnered with Fairshare to provide dog food for UK Food Banks. The third, ‘Recall’, shows a dog being called by its owner in the park and highlights how Dogs Trust has recall training available. The fourth, ‘Support, shows a dog with an injury collar sitting in its dog bed and lets owners know that Dogs Trust might be able to help with vet’s bills. 

“The cost of living crisis is having a huge impact on dog owners,” said Nick Daniel, Marketing Director at Dogs Trust. “We’re receiving an unprecedented amount of calls from people who feel like they have no other choice but to give up loved family dogs because they can no longer afford to keep them. This is why we have created this campaign to highlight all the various ways we can help and keep them and their families together with their dogs. We want to celebrate dogs and the joy they bring us and keep them in the place they are most happy.”