It’s tragic that an adoption agency has to lure prospective parents by making them think they are clicking to adopt a pet. But the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption-Canada has 30,000 children waiting to be adopted from foster care in Canada. The foundation was begun in 1992 by Wendy’s founder,  Dave Thomas, who was adopted as a child.

The idea comes from McCann Toronto, who worked pro bono on the campaign with client, Wendy’s Canada, and began with the understanding that most Canadians are unaware of the number of children in the adoption line. The campaign aims to raise awareness and funds for the foundation and its Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Program, which provides funding to adoption agencies to hire recruiters that help match children in foster care with the right families.

The campaign, Up For Adoption, consists of posters and a 15-second video, all of which feature adorable animals and the suggestion that it is these that are up for adoption. When people go to the campaign site, UpForAdoption.ca, they are met with a message that states, “We’re sorry if you thought we were talking about pets. We had to do something to get your attention because more than 30,000 children are waiting to be adopted from foster care in Canada.”

The full campaign is running across TV, online video, digital, social and transit OOH until December. McCann Toronto was supported by media agency of record, Initiative, (with media being donated to the cause), MRM McCann on website development and Craft Public Relations.

For the disappointed, shelter program, Ontario SPCA, is working with the campaign and a link to its site is included at the bottom of the posters.

“There’s nothing wrong about adopting pets,” Deletroz stated. “We just believe that we should shine a light on the fact that there is another cause other than pets.”