Blidworth dog rescue hits out at Purplebricks commercial

Charity Jerry Green Dog Rescue in Blidworth has said Purplebricks’s commercial sends out the “wrong message”

The commercial shows a woman returning home to find her partner has cooked a meal and bought her flowers – and a puppy.

Shelley Wilks, Deputy CEO and head of welfare at the rescue said: “We understand the positive aspects of dog ownership and the power of using animals in advertising. We realise this is intended to be a light-hearted commercial but we feel that Purplebricks is sending out the wrong messages on this occasion.

“It’s clear that this is a humorous advert and ‘Pumpkin’ does look adorable but there is a serious point to be made about responsible dog ownership, especially when there are thousands of rescue dogs in charitable organisations such as ours who need to find loving homes.”

The charity has contacted the chairman of Purplebricks to complain, having earlier this year backed calls to ban the sale of puppies through pet shops and other third-party dealers.

Ian Cawsey, chair of trustees at the rescue, said: “As a charity dedicated to the care, welfare and responsible rehoming of dogs, we hope that Purplebricks will consider the consequences of its advertising in promoting impulsive dog purchases and the work that this generates for rescue charities who are largely reliant on the generosity of public support to keep operating.

“I would urge anyone thinking about getting a dog to contact the team here at the rescue before making the commitment. We may already have the perfect match for you just waiting for a loving home, whether or not you found it through Purplebricks.”

Purplebricks declined to comment.