The Underdog Club is an admirable online community project helping dogs that don’t fit the mould (“the old ones, the ugly ones and the downright unpopular ones”) find the love they deserve.
s READ MOREI once barracked for an underdog football team, it set me up for a lifetime of appreciation for sub-cultures. I learnt that winning isn’t everything, underdogs lack ego and have a secret cool pack stashed in their pocket and, winning can be boring if you don’t understand what it means to lose.
The Underdog Club is an admirable online community project helping dogs that don’t fit the mould find the love they deserve. It’s an adoption agency with heart. Based in Montreal, The Underdog Club champions underdog traits of, well, underdogs who need attention and love but don’t necessarily stand out in a crowd. “We promote hard-to-place dogs, you know, the old ones, the ugly ones and the downright unpopular ones, so they have a shot at a better life” they proudly announce.
The website (and their marketing and copywriting) is articulate and witty as well as a keen reminder of how society judges beauty and cuteness in such narrow terms. Once you start clicking, you won’t just want one ugly dog, you will want the squad. They won’t seem ugly to you because you will see the specialness in their eyes or their floppy ears or their not quite right swagger. Some are old, too old, but nonetheless lovable.
There is a spark in the underdog, a little terrier of power that lays low until just the right moment, the moment you take them home and realise that they will stay by your side, as your best friend, for as long as you both shall lose, oh, live! Looks aren’t everything.
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underdogclub.com
You can donate to The Underdog Club here
Artwork by Jessica Ghersi
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