DOGS Trust & The Ripple Effect have unveiled an engaging new animation-led campaign designed to change the way the UK thinks about dog safety around open water, launching a series of beautifully crafted educational animations with acclaimed illustrator Mr Griff to communicate life-saving advice in a way traditional public information campaigns often cannot.
Launched this week, If in Doubt, Keep Your Dog Out combines original consumer research, Freedom of Information data, real-life case studies and a suite of animated films to address a growing but often overlooked issue: dog-related water incidents.
The campaign follows Freedom of Information requests to the RNLI and Canal & River Trust data, which show that dog-related water incidents continue to rise, particularly during the summer months, reinforcing the need for preventative education.
Rather than relying on graphic imagery or fear-based messaging, The Ripple Effect commissioned illustrator Mr Griff to create a series of animations that reveal the hidden dangers lurking beneath seemingly calm water, from invisible currents and underwater debris to blue-green algae and inaccessible exit points.
The films form the creative heart of the campaign, translating complex safety information into engaging, highly shareable visual stories that educate without alarming.
The campaign follows new Dogs Trust research among 2,000 UK dog owners, conducted by Ripple Research, which found almost three-quarters (74%) of owners are confident they can identify safe water for their dog, despite only 35% correctly recognising that no type of open water should automatically be considered safe. The research also revealed that 80% of owners would enter the water themselves to rescue their dog if it got into difficulty, highlighting a significant gap between confidence and understanding. Dogs Trust strongly advises against this, and recommends calling 999.
The creative challenge was therefore not simply to raise awareness, but to change behaviour.
Rather than producing a traditional public safety campaign, The Ripple Effect developed a series of short-form animations built around one simple message: Stop. Check. Think. If in Doubt, Keep Your Dog Out.
Each film focuses on a specific hidden hazard, encouraging owners to assess every location before allowing their dog to swim.
Sarah Grant, PR Manager at Dogs Trust, said:
“Many of the risks around open water simply aren’t visible. A calm-looking river or lake can hide fast currents, dangerous debris or toxic algae. We wanted to create a campaign that could encourage dog owners to think differently and raise awareness of the dangers to help prevent avoidable tragedies for both dogs and their owners.
“The animations allow us to explain these hidden dangers in a memorable, accessible way that works across social media, broadcast and digital channels.
“We’re incredibly proud of what The Ripple Effect has created with our team, and can’t wait to see the coverage roll in over the coming weeks”
The integrated campaign combines:
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National research with 2,000 UK dog owners
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Freedom of Information data and incident analysis
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Hero and supporting educational animations illustrated by Mr. Griff
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Real-life owner case studies
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A practical Water Safety Checklist
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National PR, broadcast, social media and owned content
If in Doubt, Keep Your Dog Out supports the launch of the new Dog Ownership Guide (DOG), developed by Dogs Trust and the RSPCA, which provides a shared framework for responsible dog ownership following one of the largest consultations of its kind.
