Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), one of the largest animal welfare charities in world, decided to send a powerful message to everyone with its latest Christmas ad.
The emotional ad tells the touching story of Woody – an abandoned stuffed toy puppy. After it comes as a Christmas gift, Woody is thrown away shortly after. Unfortunately, Woody’s story is a sad metaphor for the countless puppies that are taken in by the RSPCA every year. “A dog is for life and not just for Christmas,” is the clear message the animal charity is trying to send.
The heartbreaking clip begins with a happy little boy who get his long wish gift – a stuffed Labrador puppy. At first, the boy seems to love and care for his toy so much as he takes it everywhere. But just when you may think these two are inseparable, the little boy is starting to lose interest in Woody and the stuffed puppy gets neglected by the day. The toy eventually ends up in a bin bag.
However, the ad has a happy ending, though. Just like in real life, an RSPCA officer shows up and rescues Woody, who’s taken to a local vet. Here he’s washed up and properly cared of. The touching ad end with Woody being replaced by a sweet real Lab and the message “kindness goes a long way.”
“While this video shows the tale of a toy dog – the sentiment behind the story is very real,” said Deborah Caffull, manager of RSPCA Birmingham. “We rescue, rehabilitate and rehome dogs just like Woody every day, all year round…It was lovely to show all the different aspects of the work we do.”
Watch the tearjerking ad, here: