SUPERGIRL and Krypto: a tale of heroic second chances
We’ve had a lot to cheer for so far this summer. From World Cup matches to NBA Championship games and beyond, I feel a real sense of camaraderie right now. I see that healthy competition and the fun jabs we can throw because we are fans, and I want to borrow some of that energy for a fight of “super” proportions ...
Supergirl. Well, really her canine sidekick extraordinaire, Krypto. And, more specifically, the power of second chances.
Supergirl is the fun, vengeful cousin of the canonical Superman –– whose movie last year saw a 513% increase in searches for “adoptable dogs near me.” It also sponsored more than 450 pet adoptions last year, with that many families going home with a superhero sidekick of their own. If you missed my blog on Superman last year, be sure to give it a read.
I was lucky enough to attend the world premiere for SUPERGIRL this past week and I felt a real buzz in the air.
We brought adoptable puppies with us who were an absolute hit. People kept coming over to say hi, take photos, and just “aww” over them. We even had an Olympian in our midst! I joined Jordan Chiles — I’d argue she’s a real life Supergirl — for an interview on the red carpet to kick off the fun.
I felt a real camaraderie with everyone there. Not just because of the film itself and it being the world premiere, but because the partnership gave us an incredible opportunity to unite over our shared love for shelter pets.
While I was there, I kept thinking about this new face in the Super-sphere, and this renewed opportunity to highlight the power of second chances. Supergirl isn’t the “perfect” hero. She’s feisty and a little rough around the edges. But isn’t that more relatable?
Supergirl gave Krypto a second chance. She looked into his eyes and wanted to cheer him on, through this galaxy and the next. With that second chance, Krypto stops at nothing to show how goofy and fun a sidekick can be — all while helping Supergirl feel at home. He teaches her that wherever she is in the galaxy, there’s a place where she always belongs: right by his side.
And that is a strong feeling — belonging — one that we all gravitate toward. And her unique perspective on what it means to be a hero really opens the door for us to look inward and see that within ourselves.
For instance, I see heroes all around me. That family who loved one particular breed of dog, but instead of buying their next one, they found a breed-specific rescue group that led them to their new best friend. The college students who were at school during a snowstorm and decided to open their apartments to foster a few cats while they were all stuck inside anyway. Or even the person who, on a whim, decided to volunteer at their local shelter and gave each dog they walked a fresh, new, kinder perspective on the world.
No matter the intentions, the result of their work is heroic. And so is yours.
Celebrate your heroism. Celebrate the local heroes around you.
Maybe you’re already full with your foster and adopted pets. Well, the more you share this campaign, the more people it will reach who might be looking for that special someone in their lives. The more we talk about how our adopted friends make us feel, the more accessible it will seem to someone who’s never considered adopting a dog or cat before.
And to make things even sweeter, our partner Warner Bros. Discovery is sponsoring all dog adoption fees from Best Friends Pet Adoption Centers and other Best Friends Network Partners around the country from June 22 to July 5.
So grab your popcorn and remember what home feels like to you. You belong and so does every pet in our nation’s shelters. Feeling like you’ve always got someone by your side — someone to have your back, pick you up when you’re down, and make each day more meaningful –– that is a universal story of our pets. They just need the right storyteller to bring them into their family and tell their tale.
Root for second chances, root for the underdog, and go see Supergirl in theaters starting June 26. All I know is those villains better quit messing with Krypto.
-Julie
