Clothing Company Sells Dogs as Accessories in Controversial Stunt

When online clothing retailer Lyst announced its “Canine Collection,” a selection of 33 dog breeds, available for purchase, that would “compliment your summer outfit,” on Monday, critics swarmed social media with angry tweets, posts and comments.

Fast forward to Tuesday, when Lyst revealed the collection was a hoax intended to bring attention to the increasing number of dogs that are abandoned and need to be re-homed each year. Still, not everyone approves of the company’s tactics.

When news broke of the collection, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) attempted to reach out to the online retailer to determine if this was a publicity stunt or an actual initiative.

"Whether this is real or just a publicity stunt by Lyst, it sends out an extremely worrying message to people who are looking to get a new canine companion,” the RSPCA said in a statement. “It is important to remember that dogs are not fashion accessories or throwaway commodities, and the RSPCA has concerns about anything which might lead people to see them as replaceable ornaments, rather than intelligent, living creatures, which need long-term care and commitment."

Despite the growing concern and outrage across Twitter, Lyst continued to play into its charade, with tweets encouraging people continue to ordering the pups and perpetuating the joke.

We are very excited to be delivering these pups to their new homes today! 🐶 pic.twitter.com/Tgd5nE9mGl

— LYST (@lyst) May 10, 2016

Hi @jamiechung1, there is a complete refund policy if the product is not up to standard, we do however charge for delivery on your returns

— LYST (@lyst) May 10, 2016

The company even issued a statement to Yahoo in response to the backlash, Complex reported.

“We were very surprised to see the negative reactions on social media—the very space where dogs are paraded as accessories the most,” a Lyst spokesperson said to Yahoo. “Who doesn’t love a cute puppy in a handbag? We’re just helping you buy both pieces of the Instagram shot at once.”

When first launched, the site encouraged shoppers to, “Find the right dog to match your wardrobe from our curated selection of breeds that are as stylish as they are lovable.”

On the site, the dogs could be sorted by type, color and size—from extra-small to extra-large. Each breed listed included a price, and a product description that recommended styling tips and which dogs look best with which wardrobes.

(Image via Lyst)

According to Fashion Times, Lyst could ship the the dogs to those in the U.S. and U.K., and would hand deliver them in Lyst-branded carry kennels.

After it was announced as a hoax, the prices and descriptions were taken down, and replaced with “Not for sale.” And, the opening text no longer pushed shoppers to find the right dogs to match their wardrobes, but clarified the meaning behind the controversial collection:

Of course you can’t buy puppies and dogs here, we sell clothes not canines.

But unfortunately, thousands of puppies and dogs are bought and abandoned every year. According to Blue Cross, the number of small “handbag” dogs and puppies needing to be re-homed has increased by 120 percent in the last five years, with “fashionable” toy dog breeds in particular being given up in record numbers.

A dog is for life, not just for Instagram.

Earlier today, the section about purchasing the dogs was removed entirely.

Despite the negative feedback, Lyst appears pleased with the response and results of its collection.

The number of outraged #Lyst #CanineCollection mentions from animal lovers across the world in two days: 10,000+

— LYST (@lyst) May 10, 2016

What do you think? Did Lyst go too far with its canine collection?