The UK is facing an epidemic of breeders and smugglers producing puppies solely for profit, so the agency and IFAW have created Suzy Puppy, a toy dog who may not be all she seems as the star of a campaign raising awareness of the issue.

The puppy industry is booming – and it’s a growing problem. Breeders from the UK, and puppy smugglers from Europe, are producing puppies solely for profit, with little (if any) consideration for the animals’ needs or health. All too often, puppies are taken from their mothers too soon (before eight weeks of age) and transported on long journeys to be sold by dodgy dealers. These puppies regularly suffer from preventable illness, sometimes death, and can have behavioural issues later on in life.

We created Suzy Puppy, a toy dog who may not be all she seems, as the star of a multi-faceted campaign raising awareness of the issue.

The centre of the campaign is a short film, depicting a young girl’s delight in getting her new Suzy Puppy. However, mirroring the grim reality of the puppy industry she quickly discovers that her seemingly perfect pup is in fact suffering a great deal from problems such as Conjunctivitis to the Parvo Virus.

The campaign also features a real world element where the toy was displayed in selected animal-based stores as well as being introduced in Parliament on September 14th with 500 MPs all being given one of the Suzy Puppy toys.

It is the integration of the film and the real-world activity that allowed us to engage on a more personal level with both the general public and the MPs.