Don’t mess with a PR man and his puppy. That’s a lesson that the Massachusetts-based Laughlin Kennel is learning the hard way.
Don’t mess with a PR man and his puppy. That’s a lesson that the
Massachusetts-based Laughlin Kennel is learning the hard way.
Following his purchase of a golden retriever from the kennel two months
ago, George Regan of Regan Communications noticed that his puppy had a
respiratory infection and worms, which he blamed on unsanitary kennel
conditions. After learning that no Massachusetts kennel license had been
revoked or suspended in 25 years, he decided to make some noise,
attacking the kennel through the media.
’We’re trained communicators,’ Regan said. ’We have the ability to get
our message across and we thought this issue was right up our alley.
It’d be a shame on me if I didn’t do anything.’
An investigation by a local Fox affiliate into kennel conditions - which
was reportedly already in the works - featured the puppy prominently in
its segment, and The Boston Globe ran an article on the kennel
conditions.
The story breathlessly described how the puppy, also named Regan, had
won the hearts of the agency’s employees with its Frosty the Snowman
outfit, how Regan threatened to ruin the kennel if the puppy didn’t get
better (he said he has never spoken to anyone at the kennel, although
his assistant has) and how helpless the kennel owners supposedly feel in
the face of Regan’s PR power. Kind of makes you feel warm, fuzzy and
power-mad all over, no?
Regan said his work is far from done. ’We’re not finished with these
people,’ he said, noting that he also plans to put up a billboard to
draw attention to the issue. ’The truth is the ultimate defense.’
