Dog Sentenced Because It Was Loyal to Its Family

30 Millions d’Amis Foundation‘s previous campaign, “We Are the Champions,” revealed one of France’s records: It is the European champion for abandoned pets. The film, imagined by Altmann + Pacreau agency, won numerous awards at various events and sparked nationwide attention. This year, the NGO launched a new campaign, focusing on a little-known consequence of abandonment: euthanasia.

Most pets that are abandoned end up euthanized within seven days, as the shelters and pounds have a problem when it comes to space. In France, the death penalty no longer exists. So why should animals be subjected to such a punishment?

The organization wants to save these innocent souls from death through a video that invites people to say no to animal abandonment. Directed by Maïwenn, a well-known French director, the short movie depicts a heartbreaking scene. It all happens in a courtroom, where the fate of a dog is decided based on its actions throughout its life. The pet is accused of having been faithful to its family for seven years, for having kept its masters company in good and bad, of having given affection and protection without expecting anything in return.

Renowned for her cinematographic sensibility, the director succeeded in bringing the right dose of drama to this subject. Speaking about the collaboration with the director, Réha Hutin, President of the 30 Millions d’Amis Foundation, said: “Maïwenn’s great talent has been to translate in an allegorical way, the dramatic reality which, all year round — and not only during the vacations! — leads to the death of thousands of innocent victims. Condemning this horrific truth is not enough, we must address the causes directly. This is why we have developed 10 concrete proposals to fight against abandonment, addressed to the Minister of Agriculture as well as to 240 members of parliament.”

Olivier Altmann, Co-Founder, Creative Director of Altmann + Pacreau, added: “After our previous movie ‘We Are the Champions,’ which made abandonment a national concern (60 million views), we wanted to surprise again and alert people on the fact that abandoned animals too often end up being euthanized. Whereas the death penalty was abolished in France in 1981, innocent victims are still condemned to capital punishment.”

“The Innocent” video was created to raise awareness about abandoned pets and the Foundation’s mission to encourage people to #StopAbandoning. It has been seen more than 12 million times in France, in less than a week.