I’m surrounded by some hardcore dog lovers at my job. Dogs are not just welcome in the office, but their attendance is encouraged. (Except that one time I had to ban my dog from coming in because he sassed everyone too much and decided to poop where he pleased. But that’s another story.)
The office’s most frequent visitor is Jimmy, a senior black lab that is one of four dogs in my boss’ home. If I had to take a guess, Jimmy’s usually in the office four days out of the workweek. He’s so well known — not just at our communications firm, but in our Grand Rapids, Mich. community — that he has his own title: Chief Happiness Officer. He’s an important member of our team and is looked at as a coworker just as much as the person sitting across the room.
Jimmy’s big adventure (aka Grand Rapids’ collective heart attack)
A few weeks ago, our team group chat started lighting up.
“JIMMY IS MISSING. PLEASE TELL EVERYONE.”
My stomach sank. It was evening and Jimmy is a black dog, which means finding him would be difficult. Not just that, but he lives close to a major road. My mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario. I wasn’t alone, either. My colleagues were just as distraught about Jimmy’s disappearance.
Immediately, the entire team took to their social networks to get the word out. The business’ Facebook page had a post that encouraged others to share, which they did. I help manage a Grand Rapids-focused animal-rights page that posts rescue call-to-actions, so I went straight there to share in addition to my personal page.
News spread, and fast. Within minutes, the post had double-digit shares. After an hour, the shares were up in the eighties. People even left their homes to go search for Jimmy, including our creative director, who went out at 10 p.m. to search the area for Jimmy with no luck. As time went by, we all got more and more anxious.
Finally, at 11 p.m., Jimmy was found at a bar nearby his home. On his way to boozy bliss, the tags on his collar fell off, leaving no way for his people to be contacted. That’s where social media came in to save Jimmy.
A couple saw him, noticed he was friendly and without his tags, and put him in their car to take care of him until they could get word out that a black lab was found. They didn’t get to that point because on the way home, they saw Jimmy’s post shared all over Facebook. They got in contact with Jimmy’s family and arranged to drop him off immediately. A social media update posted and the community celebrated.
Much to Jimmy’s dismay, his night out had come to an end.
Let’s chill out and give technology some credit
Our relationship with technology is often looked down upon, especially for the millennial generation. How many times do we hear “Those kids are always on their phones” or “Technology is making people lazy”? While there are legitimate arguments to step away from screens, with moderation, technology can help us. Hell, modern technology is what saved Jimmy. What many don’t understand about social media activism is that it’s not the only kind of activism. Instead, social media has elevated activism efforts and has given us more opportunities to help than ever before. Of course, there is a time and place for it, but without the ease to share, Jimmy might not have made it to another day in our office.
Activism and making a difference comes in many forms. The people who are passionate about issues are not likely to just stay on social media. For involved do-gooders, social media is just one tool available. Animals are rescued, money is raised and ideas are spread through these everyday platforms. When used properly, social media enhances our culture, creates opportunities and connects likeminded people within seconds.
Watching Jimmy’s rescue unfold was — well, first, relieving — inspiring to watch. Hundreds of people in our community came together for one dog and helped to bring him home. Even weeks after the rescue, I’ve interviewed intern candidates whose first question is about Jimmy’s rescue and if he is doing OK. The whole experience helped remind me that it doesn’t take much to make a difference in someone’s life.
Welcome back, Jimmy.