The world is slowly recognising the importance of inclusive casting.
Just as is the case for people, every animal is unique. Characteristics divide us just as they do for them, but in both cases, where our focus really should be is in providing support to those that need it to function on a daily basis. We are determined to treat all animals equally, so we created our ‘Perfectly Imperfect’ range. We may not be able to represent a diverse spectrum of race, sexuality, or gender. Still, we are proud to think that our disabled talent may normalise or empower people with disabilities everywhere.
Hiring models with disabilities.
What is ‘Perfectly Imperfect’?
‘Perfectly Imperfect’ features any and all of our animal models with disabilities. These disabilities are usually physical and require the animal to use a wheelchair or some other medical device for support. We at Urban Paws Agency feel that just because an animal has a disability, that doesn’t mean it can’t have the same opportunities as its fellow models.
We look to take on any species of animal models with disabilities but – as with the majority of our models – most are dogs and cats.
Urban Paws Agency is the first and only talent agency in the country to hire animals with disabilities, this is a great source of pride for us and we will look to provide representation for these incredible animals well into the future.
Why use animal models with disabilities?
From a business point of view, ‘Perfectly Imperfect’ animal models can create customer empathy. They tend to be primarily used in charity campaigns, though any brand can benefit from hiring our models. We are starting to see disabled animals being used more frequently across a range of marketing and public relation campaigns which is a massive step in the right direction.
Our perfectly imperfect breeds aren’t any different from the rest of the animals available from our talent agency, they offer the same unrivalled charm, enthusiasm for acting and modelling, and general affection toward people. Between hiring an animal with or without a disability, the benefits of doing so are endless.
Moreover, hiring these models demonstrates to the consumer that a company is willing to give an animal with a disability a chance. Today’s world is becoming a more accepting place, and people generally appreciate seeing diverse and inclusive marketing campaigns, even in the world of animal talent.
Most importantly, seeing animals with disabilities helps to normalise disability in people. In the same way that casting diverse human models of different races and genders helps to make regular people feel accepted, we hope that seeing an animal in a wheelchair star in a high-profile marketing campaign can do a small part to make people with similar disabilities feel accepted.
Many of our perfectly imperfect line haven their own requirements when working on set, when looking to hire one, our team at Urban Paws Agency will be more than happy to fill you in on how you can make them comfortable when working together.
