Clearly, there’s a pressing need for the much-publicized patients’ bill of rights. But overlooked in the political firestorm surrounding that proposed legislation is the urgent need for a similar bill covering veterinarians and their patients. Healthcare for animals can be expensive. The problem shouldn’t be sugarcoated: Life isn’t a Hollywood movie in which Doctor Doolittle never invoices his patients.
Offering a tongue-firmly-in-cheek look at what drives up veterinarian bills is "Second Opinion." This spec spot opens on a man pacing in a vet’s examination room. The pet owner is concerned about his little dog, rigidly laid out on the table. The pooch appears to be well past saving—even a layman can tell that this doggie needs a taxidermist more than it needs a vet. But the stunned owner still hopes that his beloved Fido will recover.
The doctor enters the room. "How long has your dog been like this?" he asks.
"A few hours," responds the anxious man.
The veterinarian places his stethoscope on the dog and immediately reaches his conclusion: "I’m sorry, I’m afraid your dog has passed," he explains sympathetically.
"How can you tell?" demands the man, obviously still in denial. "You haven’t done any testing on him, or anything." He requests a second opinion.
The doctor looks at the man in disbelief, leaves the room and comes back with a Labrador retriever. The Lab sniffs at the prone dog and barks. "That means he’s dead," relates the vet.
The man still wants convincing, so again the doctor exits and returns—this time with a black-and-white cat. The feline sniffs at, then looks beyond, the motionless dog. The doctor shakes his head "no," as if to say that the cat has reached the same conclusion as the Lab.
Hardly skipping a beat, the veterinarian hands the man an invoice. The bereaved cannot believe his eyes: "Six hundred dollars? … To tell me my dog is dead? This is outrageous!"
The doctor patiently explains, "Well, sir, my first opinion would have been fifty. But with the Lab work and cat scan …"
Cut to a shot of those two "experts"—the Lab and the kitty—sitting peaceably together in the room. Supered next to them is simply, "mypetadvice.com."
Titled "Second Opinion," this spec spot was directed by Boris Damast of Celsius Films, the bicoastal production house under the aegis of executive producer Bob Fisher. Damast helmed and served as art director of the spec piece. Fisher doubled as executive producer and copywriter. Andrea Kikot produced for Celsius. The spot was shot by DP Rene Ohashi.
Leo Zaharatos of Blue Highway, Toronto, edited "Second Opinion." Online editor was Pete MacCauley of AXYZ, Toronto. Colorist was Chris Devlin of Post Logic, Hollywood and Santa Monica. Joe Cunningham of N.Y. Sound, New York, served as audio mixer. Cunningham and Robert Armes of Pirate Radio, Toronto, were the sound designers.
