Canada’s Federal animal welfare laws are antiquated and inadequate to deal with an influx of pet abandonment. So Publicis Toronto and volunteer-run pet rescue, Mattie’s Place, created the Pet-ition, a first petition signed by pets to help all animals become recognised as sentient beings instead of as property and affording them a much-needed increase in protection.

The Pet-ition campaign has gone all the way to the House of Commons. It was officially presented in the House of Commons on October 29, the last day of World Animal Month, thanks to the backing of Federal Member of Parliament, Julie Debrusin.

The campaign is built on an insight pulled from petition law, that doesn’t specify that you must be human to sign a petition. In fact, you just need a name, address, and unique signature, which pets all possess. Using this loophole and paw prints as signatures (since they are genetically unique), the campaign was launched at North America’s Large Dog Festival in June, before gathering thousands of signatures throughout the summer. Mattie’s Place hosted various events and collaborated with pet stores and rescues nationwide, before catching the attention of Julie Debrusin.

“We believe that this campaign sends a powerful message,” stated Denise Angus, founder of Mattie’s Place. “These are living creatures with their own autonomy, and they should be treated and protected as such, instead of being regarded under law as mere property. Having animals participate in the movement to change Canada’s outdated laws is truly symbolic of where we as a country must strive to be.”

“This work is a testament to our collaborative efforts, the expertise of our team and the boldness of our client Mattie’s Place,” added Publicis Toronto CCO, Vini Dalvi, “From creative to strategy, PR, digital, accounts, and more, the passion and commitment of every member of the team was on show for this project, and we’re proud to have created a campaign that resounds with Canadians and supports such a noble cause.”