Barksy The MasterPees Collection • Dog Shelter

Activation for Good
Wunderman Thompson Tokyo • Junior Art Director

Only 7% of dogs in Japanese homes come from shelters, leaving thousands without a place to call home. Shelters face ongoing funding challenges, resulting in more dogs being euthanized each month. Alarmingly, many people in Japan are still unaware of the option to adopt. So, how can we raise awareness about this issue while generating much-needed funding for shelters?

Introducing Barksy: The MasterPees Collection. This innovative art initiative harnesses the creative spirit of shelter dogs by turning their pee into unique artworks.

In collaboration with stencil artist Kansuke Akaike and PeaceWanko dog shelter, we developed a special canvas that reacts to dog pee, capturing each dog's essence in a truly original way.

These pieces are showcased and sold in art galleries and shelters, as well as digitally as fragrance-free NFPees. This initiative successfully raises awareness about shelter dogs, empowering them to find their forever homes.

Case Study