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Shelter Dogs Shine with Celebrity Names

What's in a name? Potentially a life! Animal shelters all over the country are using a clever new tactic to help facilitate adoptions and increase the bond between animals and potential adopters--they're naming the animals after celebrities.

This new marketing strategy helps potential adopters empathize with the homeless animals and hopefully see them in a different light. Dogs that may otherwise be overlooked can now be seen in a more anthropomorphized form, and that can make all the difference for potential adopters.

In an interview with the New York Times, adopter Heather Allard said she adopted her dog, James Earl Jones, almost solely because of his name. Her first dog's name was Simba, and James Earl Jones played the voice of Simba's father in Disney's The Lion King. She took it as a sign that James Earl Jones was meant to be her next dog, and he went from homeless to a beloved pet that day.

I think this is a fantastic strategy for shining a new light on otherwise overlooked homeless pets.When choosing a new four-legged friend, it can be difficult to decide on a dog, especially when you're at an animal shelter. While what's most important is determining that the dog's temperament, energy level, and size are appropriate for your lifestyle and living situation, a quirky name might just be the cherry on top that helps you choose your next dog.

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Have you adopted a dog based on its name? Is your dog named after a celebrity? Leave your comment below.

 

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