'Teenage sex' advert for pet neutering banned

Published on Tuesday 25 August 2009 21:48

A PROVOCATIVE television commercial called "Sex Talk", produced by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) which hoped to run it in communities across Britain, has been banned by the advertising authority Clearcast.

The advert, which makes a satirical comparison with teen sex in order to promote the spaying and neutering of dogs and cats who face an uncertain future in severely crowded animal shelters, was considered "unacceptable on the grounds of offence".

The 30-second spot – which Peta claims has aired in several markets across the US without any problems – features a couple who encourage their teenage daughter to become sexually active.

The horrified girl asks: "But what if I get pregnant?" and her parents urge her to have "all the kids you want. We can leave them in the shelter, dump them in the streets… whatever!"

The advert concludes: "Parents shouldn't act this way. Neither should people with dogs and cats. Always spay or neuter."

Poorva Joshipura, director of special projects at Peta, said: "Just as responsible parents would never encourage their children to go out and have unprotected promiscuous sex, responsible guardians must do the right thing for their animal companions and have them spayed and neutered.

"No-one should be bringing more animals into the world when so many are dying for lack of a good home."

The organisation says that a single unspayed female cat and her offspring can create 420,000 cats in seven years, and one unneutered male dog can father nearly limitless litters.

There are around 2.5 million stray cats around the country, and a recent report revealed that 18 dogs must be put down every day in the UK.