This documentary short, First Days Out, helps to kick off the global “Feed the Good” campaign for Pedigree Dog Food out of agency AlmapBBDO, Sao Paolo, in partnership with Mars Brazil. The film showcases how a dog can positively impact a person’s life–in this case two ex-cons: Matt who served two years in prison for theft, and Joey, who served a 12-year jail sentence for armed robbery.
First Days Out chronicles the two men leaving their respective prisons, the shock of loneliness that goes with that freedom, their seeking out dogs in animal shelters, and how the love and companionship of the pets helped them to face the start of their lives outside prison walls. Matt rescued and adopted shelter dog Jeanie while Joey did the same for shelter canine Sadie.
“I feel Jeanie brought light to my future.” said Matt who is from Las Vegas. Matt’s two primary objectives were going back to his family (after his father had severed relations with him) and getting a job. With no place to go, Matt booked a motel room and in search of company that might give him confidence and affection to start over, he went to a shelter for stray dogs, where he found Jeanie. Their connecion was immediate and the benefits reciprocal. Through playing with and walking Jeanie, Matt began to come out of his shell and was able to get on with his life.
Jeanie accompanied Matt not only to the employment agency to find a job but also later to a meeting with his dad as Matt tried to repair that relationship. Jeanie helped break the ice in that father-son meeting which resulted in a reconciliation and Matt being invited back home.
Pal for Joey
Meanwhile in Florida, upon being released from prison, Joey was alone. Joey’s only remaining family–his mother and grandmother–had died on the same day, while he was still in prison. Arriving at his home in Jacksonville, Joey found everything was as they had left it. During the last four years in prison he had learned how to train dogs, and when he was released he had doubts whether he would be able to live free in the outside world. Adopting a dog could be the only way to put his life back on track.
Joey went to the shelter to find a companion. And it was Sadie, a female dog of undefined breed and shiny black fur, that he took a liking to at first sight. Joey took Sadie to his up until then empty home. It didn’t take long for her to become his only family. In the house, they shared time and taught each other how to get back to life. “With Sadie in the house, I feel much better,” he shared.
When walking with Joey, Sadie attracts the attention of people who approach to talk. In better spirits, he started meeting old friends again. Joey and Sadie spend the days training other dogs for adoption. Joey credits Sadie with helping him regain his footing in society.
Two consecutive supered messages appear in the bottom left hand corner of the screen, which simply read: “You save a dog.”/”A dog saves you.”
Ricardo Mehedff of Hungry Man directed the docu short which can be seen online, including on the Pedigree brand’s web page.
