Beverage Inspired Dog Names

Animal rescues have come up with some pretty interesting techniques over the years to showcase their animals while providing insight and bringing attention to the fact that thousands upon thousands of animals every year are abused, lost, or even just straight up neglected and in need of a better home. If you need any further proof, feel free to look up the Sarah McLachlan ASPCA videos and grab a box of Kleenex. 

Sure, some of them can be written off as stunts or glorified guilt trips when done incorrectly, but the aim is often true, as all shelters are motivated to get their animals adopted, cared for, and into good loving homes. And while it’s easy to find examples of those that have gone over the top, there are plenty more that go about it in a tasteful and effective way by bringing light to animal issues and finding an entertaining and informative way to convince people to adopt rescues instead of fueling the breeding market. 

One such rescue group in New Zealand went above and beyond just showing that they had some really great dogs up for adoption. In 2012, they decided to not only showcase what dogs were available, but how incredibly intelligent they were, by teaching them to drive cars — yes, you read that correctly — including a 10-month old Beardie cross named Porter who shortly after became the first dog in the world to drive a car. 

The trainers of the rescue group first started by teaching the recent rescues a few basic commands such as teaching them touch commands, which were then individualized to their right and left paws. Then, they would be placed on their haunches in a car-seat-like cart, which they then learned to propel around the experimenters’ laboratory. After about eight weeks, two of the dogs were successful enough to begin their trials in modified cars that would allow them to accelerate, brake, and turn on a track. After a few successful test runs, the group decided to take their experiments worldwide by live broadcasting the dogs driving. It was a huge hit, generating over 15 million views online. 

The incredible stunt was specifically aimed at rescue dogs, who had somehow, in the public eye, been largely seen as second-class animals, even though they generally end up being more resilient and often healthier than their purebred counterparts, and the group proved this idea convincingly. If their view numbers and subsequent reactions from their audience are any indicator, they’ve left little doubt in the minds of those who witnessed it exactly what dogs, even (and maybe especially) those who have seen tough times, are truly capable of with enough love and attention.