Here in Dallas there was an uproar a few days ago about this dead dog prop. We have chosen to remove the picture as we deemed it as too grotesque. I’m going to make the assumption that if you are reading this you are a pet lover and you know why this prop is in VERY poor taste. But that is not what I’m going to talk about.

I saw first word of this product on September 16th. By September 17th all retailers had pulled the product, and there was even a statement from the manufacturer and the distributor. Everyone involved made some statement of regret. So, why did all the transpire so quickly?

People. A lot of upset people. Through what I call “the power of the internet”, thousands of people were informed and properly outraged. What did they do? They sent emails, left comments, and told the people responsible that it is unacceptable. I was taught in Economics that the dollar holds the power. So if consumers say that they are unhappy, things change. And I’m not referring to that one person that can’t be satisfied. I’m talking about the average American consumer.

It is amazing to me that in less than 48 hours action was taken. What did we do before the internet? We told our friends, we wrote letters, maybe we made phone calls. In some cases we might be able to enact change in our communities, but nothing of this magnitude.

So, what should we do now? We should mobilize. If more people get upset to the point of fury and let their voices be heard a lot of change can be done. We have to work together! We hold more power than we realize.

If you want to read more about this disgusting dog prop, read the article at Dallas Culture Map.