Calender Controversy

antomagoo

Has anyone heard about the calender being sold in aid of Ash Animal Rescue?

This is the website http://www.puppylove.ie/

Anyway there seems to be a bit of controversy surrounding it, as one of the images shows a woman breast feeding a pup.

It mainly seems to be the red top rags that have jumped all over this, calling it animal cruelty. It made the front page of one :rolleyes:

I've seen the image and have to say it doesn't bother me but can understand if some people find it distasteful.

I suppose what bothers me most is that this calender was to be used to raise money for a rescue that is badly in need of funds, a rescue that has a strict no kill policy and I would be concerened that attention is only being brought to this calender for the sake of a story and as a result the rescue will suffer. These papers never highlight the plight of the thousands of dogs being abandoned and PTS every year.

I dont think the staff in ASH had anything to do with the calender but I couldnt be sure.

Heres a link to the official statement regarding the calender

http://karolliver.blogspot.com/2010/12/official-statement-regarding-puppy-love.html?zx=b28fde2f01146f97

Any thoughts?

this is the image, Mods feel free to delete if you think its inappropriate

NoseyMike2010

LOL ... What a bitch :P:P

EGAR

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1342816/Mucky-pups-Outrage-racy-images-scantily-clad-women-bizarre-poses-dogs-charity-calendar.html

The *staff* is well aware of it and thinks it's artistic. I do not.

Tallon

Really nice puppies.

Tbh, for an animal calender, it's a bit much. No?

dvet

What springs to mind here, as a woman, is... OUCH! Also, I don't see how this would be cruelty to the pup, it's not like the puppy would exactly be afraid of breasts

This kind of smacks of 'publicity stunt' I think, but in any case, it wierds me out slightly. I don't think I'd like to have that pic hanging on my kitchen fridge for a month!!

ppink

repulsive

i do wonder who would buy this calendar anyway. I would have thought that women buy dog calendars mainly(i could be wrong but it is that way in my family) and what women wants pics like that on her wall...not too many?

beanie.

Very stupid move, considering that an animal rescue group is hardly short on suitable material. People generally buy charity calenders to support the charity, there is no need for them to try to be edgy and different.

tk123

I don't think it's cruel - I just think it's WEIRD! Why would I want to look at that pic for a month?! Also imagine having the calendar up on the wall and eg elderly visitors coming over lol. Cute puppies and kitten and other animals are what sell animal calendars - not boobs - thats why I bought the guide dogs one in nov :pac:

smcgiff

Sex Sells shocker!:eek:

sambuka41

In fairness theres really no need for sex to sell an animal calendar. My boyfriend went to buy a calender with Border collies for his mam and it was €15:eek: There was only 1 left.

Half of the calender shop was kittens and puppy ones!!!

tk123

smcgiff wrote: »

Sex Sells shocker!:eek:

I wonder if all the media coverage has increased their sales?! :pac:

daenerysstormborn3

Storm in a teacup.

Seems to me to be a publicity stunt, maybe it has worked for them, maybe it hasn't?

minxie

Just another form of ignorance
I find it totally disturbing tbh,
just my 2 cents.

BengaLover

Could be a good photoshop job..
Breastfeeding animals is not a new concept by any means..
This was in a Bella mag about a year ago:
http://vision02.com/woman-breastfeeds-her-cat/
And in some tribes its the norm:
http://thatgirlisfunny.com/2010/12/15-women-who-breast-feed-animals-weird-or-wonderful/
Strange to see Tori Amos and Kate Garraway entering the fray tho.. :D

dvet

BengaLover wrote: »

Could be a good photoshop job..
Breastfeeding animals is not a new concept by any means..
This was in a Bella mag about a year ago:
http://vision02.com/woman-breastfeeds-her-cat/
And in some tribes its the norm:
http://thatgirlisfunny.com/2010/12/15-women-who-breast-feed-animals-weird-or-wonderful/
Strange to see Tori Amos and Kate Garraway entering the fray tho.. :D

Your 2nd link there - the british woman in no 12 - all i can say is :eek:!!
Breast feeds her cat, guinea pig, & shire horse... but not her baby son!! and the pic...that certainly wouldn't sell many calendars

peasant

Ohhh ...beeewbs ...(legs, ankles) ....all very lovely.

Don't really get the animal rescue connection though. And as far as the target market goes ...well they missed it by a mile. Too many "provocative" women for your typical animal lover ...too many dogs for your average "provocative" calendar buyer.

The breast feeding image ...meh, really

smcgiff

pixiebean22 wrote: »

Storm in a teacup.

Ah now, storm in a D cup at the very least.

pixiebean22 wrote: »

Storm in a teacup.

Seems to me to be a publicity stunt, maybe it has worked for them, maybe it hasn't?

I fail to see who they are targeting here, for it to be successful that is.

peasant

smcgiff wrote: »

Ah now, storm in a D cup at the very least.

*snigger*

Das Kitty

I quite like the image! I would have her looking at the pup though.

Then again, I'm a breastfeeding advocate and I love animals too. Not mad gone on the other images, they're a bit "obvious" by comparison.

daenerysstormborn3

smcgiff wrote: »

Ah now, storm in a D cup at the very least.



I fail to see who they are targeting here, for it to be successful that is.

me too... maybe art lovers? I don't know...

Cherry Blossom

I don't like it, it's slightly disturbing.




(Is that a suitable food source for pup? )

Whispered

Das Kitty wrote: »

I quite like the image! I would have her looking at the pup though.

Then again, I'm a breastfeeding advocate and I love animals too. Not mad gone on the other images, they're a bit "obvious" by comparison.

Also a breast feeding advocate, and love animals. I find something slightly disturbing about the image. What is the point?

magentas

sick:mad:

there is nothing "natural" about this photo, it's a model with absolutely no connection to the pup that was brought in for a provocative photoshoot to cause controversary...it's worked, however I fear it may be at the expense of the shelter

I'd much rather buy the ALL FOR ANIMALS charity calender!:D
http://www.madra.ie/en/shop.html?page=shop.product_details&category_id=1&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=12

luvdogs

Yep, very weird photo and def not one that id buy or would want to be looking at for a month on the wall

Zapperzy

Reminds me of a PETA poster, if you think of it though it has raised an awful lot of publicity, how many charity calenders can say they got advertisement on the front page of a newspaper, they do say no such thing as bad advertisement (or something like that).

Personally it's not something Id like hanging on my wall so I wouldn't buy it, if it were pictures of just dogs/pups I would have no problem buying it. As somebody else pointed out who would their target audience be?

Im taking it with a pinch of salt as I don't believe everything I read in newspapers but it was said that they are being sold in sex shops! If it is true then would it not be encouraging (whats that term for people who get a kick out of having sex with animals?), I know the model isin't doing this but if it's being sold in sex shops could a few of it's buyers just be buying it for their own sick 'pleasure'.

I wouldn't call it cruel, but I would agree with distasteful. But at the end of the day if it makes them money I suppose it could be justified.

ppink

i heard someone from Ash on the radio....not sure who? lady with foreign accent? anyway the gist i got was that they were aware and happy with the calendar.
The image in question is not photoshopped apparently. this model does a lot of work for PETA.

I too cannot see the target audience...too much for the average family I think.

EGAR

"Bestiality" is the word you were looking for, Zapperzy.

I have had a call from the press about this calendar this morning. I was asked if I would raise funds for EGAR with a calendar like that and my answer is a big fat NO!

I would not call it artistic or in any way connected with art, controversial it may be but the target group of rescue supporters and animal lovers will walk away from this.

And as to PETA.... no p*ke smilie...

doctor evil

I wouldn't say there is any bestiality in that photo at all.

Breast feeding is not a sexual thing, to be nit picking the shot was done while the puppy was asleep. I was a bit shocked when I first saw the image but I think I get it now. Charity calenders and animal calenders in general are a competitive market. There are plenty of cutesy babby animal pics. I love the way the model is looking straight at the camera, almost daring you to have an opinion to it.

Its a different calender that will certainly get publicity.

I think Ireland has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in Europe so no surprise that nickers are getting twisted.

DBCyc

Looks like a publicity stunt to me, and it has worked. As a calender to raise funds, it might not sell too many copies as people will be reluctant to buy it and stick it up on their wall. Conversely, all the hype generated by that article may result in much higher sales. Its a bold move.

To be honest, it seems very tongue in cheek and I can't see how people are disturbed by it but that's just my view. I think its funny.

sligopark

smcgiff wrote: »

Sex Sells shocker!:eek:

I think Egar puts it best - bestality - breast feeding is what occurs human to human - this was intended to push boundaries in an Ireland now where relativism is abound - what if a famous gay chap was photographed feeding a pup one of their sexual organs - although now thankfully famous rich folk like Elton John have moved on to purchasing children ...

shameful to sexualise a pup

Mr. Presentable

Good publicity stunt by the OP tbh. Sell loads more calendars now.

dvet

doctor evil wrote: »

I think Ireland has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in Europe so no surprise that nickers are getting twisted.

I'm all for breastfeeding!! Still think it's a pretty strange choice of pic for an animal charity's calendar!

sligopark wrote: »

I think Egar puts it best - bestality - breast feeding is what occurs human to human - this was intended to push boundaries in an Ireland now where relativism is abound - what if a famous gay chap was photographed feeding a pup one of their sexual organs - although now thankfully famous rich folk like Elton John have moved on to purchasing children ...

shameful to sexualise a pup

Whispered

sligopark wrote: »

although now thankfully famous rich folk like Elton John have moved on to purchasing children ...

What do you mean? I find your post confusing. Can you clairfy?

doctor evil

Whispered wrote: »

What do you mean? I find your post confusing. Can you clairfy?

Going off topic (my bad)

I think he means that ET got the child through a surrogate mother.

doctor evil

dvet wrote: »

I'm all for breastfeeding!! Still think it's a pretty strange choice of pic for an animal charity's calendar!

It could be the first of its kind in this poster. I read the segment on No.12 (yer one who bf her cat, guinepig and horse) on one of the links, it does't specify if the mother chose not to breastfeed her son or if the child wouldn't latch on. I'm all for breastfeeding but sometimes it doesn't work out.

Whispered

doctor evil wrote: »

I think Ireland has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in Europe so no surprise that nickers are getting twisted.

Do you think that the only people who find it distasteful, are those who don't support breast feeding?

(if that's not the case ignore: ) but if it is the case I think you're a bit wrong, I am a huge supporter of breast feeding. Any children I might have will be breastfed if possible and I suppose you could say it's the norm in the group of people I associate with. As in I have more breastfeeding mother friends than I do bottle feeding mother friends. So it's not even something I'd really even notice anymore. But I still find the photo crass and tasteless. It's just unnecessary sensationalism, and I would have liked to think that rescues would be above that.

antomagoo

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

Good publicity stunt by the OP tbh. Sell loads more calendars now.

Not a publicity stunt by me at all, I seen the image for the first time in the newspapers and was just interested in the opinions of the regular posters in the Animals & Pets forum.

I have no vested interest in Ash Animal Rescue even though we got our dog from there.

Off to the Conspiracy Theories forum with ya

Whispered

doctor evil wrote: »

I think he means that ET got the child through a surrogate mother.

oh I wasn't aware he even had a child. Also have no idea of the relevance it has to a breast feeding puppy pic. Still confused - but thanks for trying

EGAR

I am all for breastfeeding but pups get the bottle at EGAR. I find it vile, simple as and judging a lot of comments here and elsewhere I doubt they have hit the jackpot with this kind of c*ap.

seamus

I've reopened this thread.

Discussion of beastiality is off-topic at best. The topic relates to breastfeeding a pup, which is not in itself a sexual act and cannot be reasonably equated with beastiality.

seamus

Okay, I'll try kickstart it again

I don't have any particularly strong feelings about this one. I do think Ash shot themselves in the foot somewhat about it.

I don't think the actual issue is so much that she's breastfeeding a puppy. It's all about context. She's dressed up in sultry gear, made up and the tone of the rest of the image is lustful. i.e. it's set up as a "sexy" image.

However, breastfeeding is not a sexy thing, that is we don't associate the act of breastfeeding with sex - we don't consider it to be a sexual act.

So I think the context is the problem. Replace the puppy with a newborn baby and I think we'd still be having a debate about it because the image is sexualising an activity which is generally off-limits when it comes to sexualisation. It's like dressing a 4-year-old up in lingerie; you're sexualising something which has no inherent sexuality and which shouldn't have a sexuality.

The puppy would somewhat cause an additional offence for some people, but stick the model in hair curlers, pyjamas, and with a shawl covering most of the puppy and most people would find it a "strange" photo but accept the inherent message or artistry in it.

antomagoo

I dont think Ash had anything to do with the calender. I could be wrong but I think it was a model who adopted a dog from Ash wanted to help raise funds for them, so got a group of model friends together and put a calender together with proceeds from the sales going towards Ash.

If someone tomorrow decided to go out and sell their body for sex and donate all procedes to Ash would that be wrong? esp if Ash have nothing to do with and the person is doing it of their own free will and not harming anyone else. I'm not saying it's right, just looking for opinions.

At the end of the day they are a rescue who are desperately in need of funds and the money has been raised in a manner that is not actually hurting anyone, I mean its not as if she is actually breastfeeding the pup :rolleyes: The photographer for the shoot said the pup was asleep when the photo was taken.

@ EGAR, if someone done a similar calender without infroming you and then at the end when all the cash is taken in turned around and offered it to you would you refuse it if you found some of the photos used objectionable?

EDIT: Oh yeah how anyone thinks breastfeeding is sexy or sexual is beyond me

ISDW

antomagoo wrote: »

I dont think Ash had anything to do with the calender. I could be wrong but I think it was a model who adopted a dog from Ash wanted to help raise funds for them, so got a group of model friends together and put a calender together with proceeds from the sales going towards Ash.

If someone tomorrow decided to go out and sell their body for sex and donate all procedes to Ash would that be wrong? esp if Ash have nothing to do with and the person is doing it of their own free will and not harming anyone else.

At the end of the day they are a rescue who are desperately in need of funds and the money has been raised in a manner that is not actually hurting anyone, I mean its not as if she is actually breastfeeding the pup :rolleyes: The photographer for the shoot said the pup was asleep when the photo was taken.

@ EGAR, if someone done a similar calender without infroming you and then at the end when all the cash is taken in turned around and offered it to you would you refuse it if you found some of the photos used objectionable?

EDIT: Oh yeah how anyone thinks breastfeeding is sexy or sexual is beyond me

I obviously can't answer for EGAR, but yes, I would refuse it, the same as I wouldn't take any money if someone went greyhound racing to raise money.

I agree to a large extent with Seamus, on the context and what the model is wearing but I would still object if it was done with the model dressed very conservatively. However, I drink cow's milk, so yet again, I appear to be a hypocrite:rolleyes: These discussions certainly make you think.

maplebanks

NoseyMike2010 wrote: »

LOL ... What a bitch :P:P

the breed of dog here is a TITCHEW:D

TooManyDogs

My objection to the photo would be that it simply seems to be there in order to promote controversy, and that's always dangerous ground for any rescue group to tread. And by accepting the money from the sale of the calendar is treading that ground IMO. As regards feeding other species milk, as ISWD pointed out we drink cow/goat milk, whenever there's a story of a dog taking on orphaned kittens and feeding them with their litter we think it's fantastic and it gives us a warm and fuzzy, same when tigress fed those piglets, cats mind rabbits etc etc.

I think the reason we find it so peculiar for a human to feed a dog/cat/monkey is because breasts have become firstly a sexual image/object and secondly the way we can feed our babies. If we thought differently I don't think so many people would object to the image as being offensive but would still be asking why it's appropriate to sell a calendar.

I bouycotted United Colours of Benetton when they had those photo ads 15 years ago, remember the really controversial ones featuring dying AIDS patients, white children dressed as angels and black children dressed as devils, they had a breastfeeding one too. I had no objection to the photos, they were designed to challange us to think from a different angle and see what's going on in the world, I bouycotted because they were using those images to sell clothes, I felt it was completely inappropriate. One that really upset me was the bloody clothes of a soldier who had been killed in the middle east, would have been great in a news story or documentary but not suitable to make a profit

antomagoo

ISDW wrote: »

I obviously can't answer for EGAR, but yes, I would refuse it, the same as I wouldn't take any money if someone went greyhound racing to raise money.

Fair play to you ISDW, it can take alot to stick by your principles esp if your being offered money you may need to solve funding issues

BengaLover

even if you replaced the pup with a baby, the image would still be slightly provocative...breastfeeding is a beautiful thing, but i wonder how many women feel bresastfeeding is a sexual thing, that makes them feel sexy..not many ill bet.
Swollen leaky boobs, milk dripping everywhere, veins popping out, it certainly doesnt make you feel attractive although there is no doubt that its the most satisfying and deeply pleasant feeling in the world..
This shot would have been better placed in a breastfeeding campaign calender (minus dog of course).:D
Then again if the shot was of a hippy, earth mother type woman, would posters views be different?
just something to toss about..

EGAR

antomagoo wrote: »

I dont think Ash had anything to do with the calender. I could be wrong but I think it was a model who adopted a dog from Ash wanted to help raise funds for them, so got a group of model friends together and put a calender together with proceeds from the sales going towards Ash.

If someone tomorrow decided to go out and sell their body for sex and donate all procedes to Ash would that be wrong? esp if Ash have nothing to do with and the person is doing it of their own free will and not harming anyone else. I'm not saying it's right, just looking for opinions.

At the end of the day they are a rescue who are desperately in need of funds and the money has been raised in a manner that is not actually hurting anyone, I mean its not as if she is actually breastfeeding the pup :rolleyes: The photographer for the shoot said the pup was asleep when the photo was taken.

@ EGAR, if someone done a similar calender without infroming you and then at the end when all the cash is taken in turned around and offered it to you would you refuse it if you found some of the photos used objectionable?

EDIT: Oh yeah how anyone thinks breastfeeding is sexy or sexual is beyond me

Hell yes! Reputation is a lot more important to me than money.

And ASH did know about it, they were quoted in newspapers etc pp and defended the calendar.

I am sorry but there are other ways to fundraise. I find the image vile.

BengaLover

I dont find it vile, I find it at first fascinating, then on closer speculation, pointless.
In reality, there ARE women who give breast milk to animals, albeit not in the western world.
However, THIS image is failing to make ANY point regarding animal welfare - thus making it in reality a purely shock value thing to get publicity for the society that made it.

maplebanks

EGAR wrote: »

Hell yes! Reputation is a lot more important to me than money.

And ASH did know about it, they were quoted in newspapers etc pp and defended the calendar.

I am sorry but there are other ways to fundraise. I find the image vile.

lighten up ,its just a bit of trick photography, the puppy is asleep and doing nothing,vile is a very harsh word.:):rolleyes:

sligopark

BengaLover wrote: »

In reality, there ARE women who give breast milk to animals, albeit not in the western world.

where is that exactley? In the eastern, northern, southern or other world? Perhap snot and only in Narnia.

maplebanks wrote: »

lighten up ,its just a bit of trick photography, the puppy is asleep and doing nothing,vile is a very harsh word.:):rolleyes:

sick is another