The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (RSPCA) has turned to a stuffed toy to tug on viewers' heart strings this Christmas, introducing audiences to neglected and abandoned toy dog, Woody.
Soundtracked by an acoustic cover of Stars by Simply Red, the spot shows a little boy unwrapping Woody on Christmas morning. The dog is pristine, and even gets cosy under the covers on Christmas night, but as time moves on he is neglected and becomes downtrodden and dirty.
Eventually, after being left alone in a cold park he is picked up by the ear and abandoned on the street.
There's a happy ending, however, when the cuddly toy is rescued by an RSPCA inspector, and taken to the vet for 'surgery'. The film finishes by showing Woody, a real-life rescue dog, having been successfully adopted into a loving home.
The ad is part of the RSPCA's appeal for 'kindness' this Christmas, to help drive donations for the thousands of animals who are facing neglect and cruelty over the festive season.
: RSPCA 'Woody'