The ACL (Australian Cat Ladies) believe in fighting for the right of hard-working cat ladies to live their lives undisturbed by gratuitous imagery of dogs. We are not opposed to dogs - like any other average Australian, we just don't want their canine proclivities being flaunted in our face by billboards and at bus stops. It's just common sense.

Following the excellent campaign by a similarly named organisation, the Australian Christian Lobby, we too have decided to lobby the Queensland Government and Attorney- General Jarrod Bleijie to have this matter taken seriously. We want this ban of dogs in advertising to be implemented in the review of the Queensland advertising regulatory model suggested by Attorney-General Bleijie, whose concern was sparked by a petition from the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL2, one might say) with 1,399 signatures.

Communications Council CEO Margaret Zabel has said "a self-regulated system was also the cheapest approach because advertisers themselves bear any costs". However, we do not believe that advertisers can be trusted to sway to community demands in this area and voluntarily remove all dog-related imagery from their billboards. They just won't do it - as the old saying goes, DOGS SELL.

But just because that sort of advertising is profitable doesn't mean that salt-of-the-earth Cat Ladies (young and old) should be exposed to it as they go about their daily life. Such advertising can really damage and warp the idea of what sort of pet ownership is normal. Therefore, the only option is to ban all images of dogs, dog toys, dog beds, dog food, dog beds and all other dog-related subjects. If advertisers feel it necessary to show an 'athletic' sort of animal and that a cat will not suffice (we doubt it) then we suggest they use a picture of a goat, a species which is known for its nimbleness and climbing ability.

As Mr. Bleijie himself wrote to the Queensland Parliament, "I agree with the petitioners that [KITTENS] and young [CATS] in our community should be entitled to live in a caring and nurturing environment, protected from harm and exploitation,”*

Please sign if you agree.

 

*MAY HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY PARAPHRASED.