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On February 14th, My Dog Votes™, the t-shirt brand with a mission of Saving Dogs & Democracy™, will launch of a new collection of clothing and accessories called Love Does Not Discriminate™ to help bring about the end of breed discrimination and inspire adoption of homeless dogs, especially targeted breeds.
My Dog Votes™, a company which merges fashion and advocacy, a will donate a portion of proceeds of the Love Does Not Discriminate™ Collection to support a new public awareness campaign by the same name, designed to bring about greater awareness of the issue and focus public attention on the core issue of responsible ownership.
The Love Does Not Discriminate™ Collection includes hoodies, t-shirts, trucker hats, tote bags, key chains, and other accessories. The Love Does Not Discriminate™ greeting cards feature targeted dogs paired with Valentine’s messages, such as Vote For Love!, Happiness Is Responsible Ownership, Baby – I’m Yours, and Will You Love Me Forever?, along with official Love Does Not Discriminate™ U.S. postage stamps.
“This Valentine’s Day, we’re reaching out to millions of dog lovers in New York and around the world, asking them to reach into their hearts and stand up for innocent dogs by sending the message that breed discrimination is no longer acceptable”, said Barbara Haywood, founder of My Dog Votes™. To help educate the public about breed specific legislation and other discriminatory measures, the company has also launched a blog, LoveDoesNotDiscriminate.com
The yearlong Love Does Not Discriminate™ public awareness campaign is dedicated helping homeless dogs find true love and forever homes with responsible owners. The campaign will kick off on Valentine’s Day in New York City, home to some of the most ardent dog lovers in the world, with assistance from My Dog Votes™ local affiliate, the Dog Federation of New York.
“The Love Does Not Discriminate™ Campaign is a wonderful opportunity to educate the public, the press and politicians about responsible ownership, and help break the myths and stigma about certain breeds of dogs”, said Mahlon Goer, of the Dog Federation of New York. She noted that breed discrimination is on the rise in New York State.
New York City Councilman Peter Vallone recently proposed overturning a state law that prohibits breed discrimination in order to allow New York City to enact a breed ban. “Like racial profiling, breed profiling negatively profiles dogs and their owners, and discriminates against good dogs solely based on breed”, said Ms. Goer. More than forty different breeds of dogs are victims of breed discrimination, including mixed breed dogs.
Dogs that are most often the victims of breed discrimination include pitbulls, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, Akitas, and Doberman Pinschers. She added that no credible animal welfare agency supports breed bans or other breed specific measures. The Centers For Disease Control and the American Veterinary Medical Association are also strongly opposed to breed bans and other breed-specific measures.
People are also victims of breed discrimination, and often find that the stigma attached to a particular breed of dog extends to their owners. Responsible dog owners may unable to obtain housing or insurance because of the breed of dog they own. In turn, dog owners may be forced to move, give up insurance coverage or even surrender their beloved family dogs, leaving a trail of broken hearts and homeless dogs.
Shelters and rescues may have a harder time placing targeted dogs with responsible owners for the very same reasons. One of the goals of the Love Does Not Discriminate™ Campaign is to expand the pool of potential owners by overcoming the myths and misconceptions about targeted breeds to help pair more homeless dogs with loving owners.
As a means to help fund the adoption efforts of local dog groups, shelters and rescues, My Dog Votes™ has made the Love Does Not Discriminate™ Collection and matching U.S. Postage Stamps available exclusively through Zazzle.com. Through the Zazzle Associates Program, local shelters and rescues are eligible to earn a percentage of sales simply placing the My Dog Votes™ Zazzle Associate links in their emails or on their websites.
“By sharing our revenue with animal groups through Zazzle, we can have an immediate impact by helping to directly fund the work of local groups. These are people who are making a real difference for animals, especially targeted breeds, said Ms. Haywood, who founded My Dog Votes™ following the rescue of her own dog.
“We’re hope that Love Does Not Discriminate™ helps to inspire more people to open their hearts to help homeless dogs find forever homes, especially those that are unfairly targeted. It’s about love, commitment and responsible ownership – but mainly it’s about love”.
About the Dog Federation of New York
The Dog Federation of New York is a statewide coalition of individual dog owners, dog clubs and organizations that serves the public interest by educating citizens and legislators on responsible dog ownership and advocating for strong, and humane dog-related legislation. The Dog Federation of New York welcomes all dog owners and dog-related organizations in New York.
About My Dog Votes™
My Dog Votes™ is a specialty retailer of clothing and accessories and the world’s only company with a corporate mission of Saving Dogs and Democracy™. The company, known for its’ trademarked line of “voter inspiration” t-shirts and nonpartisan campaign gear, launched the My Dog Votes™ campaign to “Help Lick Voter Apathy”, the country’s only national GOTV (Get Out The Vote) campaign for dog owners, aimed at elevating voter participation in local and state elections.
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