Carmichael Lynch presents the story of Magpie for the Animal Humane Society

The Animal Humane Society and creative agency Carmichael Lynch this week launched the “Law of the Paw" campaign – an initiative to raise awareness about the importance of adopting, spaying/neutering and tagging pets. The campaign asks people to sign a pledge to adopt these three behaviors, with the goal of attaining one million signatures in three years. The effort is not branded to one organization so any animal welfare organization in the country can use the creative.

The centerpiece of the campaign is a short film created by Carmichael Lynch. The film traces the journey of a rescue dog named Magpie from a harsh life on the streets to a caring shelter to her forever home. The entire piece is filmed from the dog’s perspective. To achieve this effect, the production company, Futuristic Films, attached a small PENTAX Q camera to a vest on Magpie’s back.

“This film shows just how dramatic a difference you can make in the life of an animal,” said Carmichael Lynch Chief Creative Officer Dave Damman. “Pets are an important part of the Carmichael Lynch family, so we loved working with the Animal Humane Society and supporting their Law of the Paw initiative.”

As a teaser to the campaign, Carmichael Lynch placed cardboard dog houses in high-traffic areas in downtown Minneapolis. The houses visually demonstrated how many homeless pets live on the streets today. Also, as a twist on traditional “lost” posters, Carmichael Lynch created “found” posters featuring animals available for adoption at local shelters. The posters encouraged people to adopt a pet and make a promise to help all pets by signing the Law of the Paw.