06.17.2009 – (New York, NY) In this "ruff" economy, two Yorkshire terriers from Manhattan are trying to make a difference. With all the Mom and Pup restaurants and stores in their upper west side neighborhood going out of business, Schmitty The Real New Yorkie™ and sidekick, Pudge starred in New Yorkie P.O.V.™, a four minute video to show the warm and fuzzy side of New York City in the hopes that more tourists will come to New York to eat, shop and play. New Yorkie P.O.V. is the story of these two pups on a NYC day trip starting at Grant's Tomb in Harlem and ending up at sunset viewing the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park - all from their point of view. The video can be seen at:
www.youtube.com/
Highlights of New Yorkie P.O.V. include Schmitty and her sister, Pudge, visiting the diner featured in the Seinfeld sitcom, hailing a cab, and enjoying a massage at a spa on Fifth Avenue.
The piece was written and produced by pet advocate, Elly McGuire, to show non-New Yorkers that NYC is not as scary or intimidating as some people might think. "When you see these two five pound pooches having a great time getting around the city and seeing the sights, how could you ever be worried about visiting New York?" says McGuire. “What makes it so much fun is that most of New Yorkie P.O.V. is shot from nine inches above the ground, so we see the city from Schmitty & Pudge's point of view. The film crew even named the camera created for those shots, The Schmitty Cam."
McGuire has posted the New Yorkie P.O.V. video on You Tube in an effort to bring more visitors to New York City. She even sent a letter from Schmitty to Mayor Bloomberg with a DVD copy of New Yorkie P.O.V. "It will be interesting to see what he thinks of the video," Elly says. "I'm sure in these ‘ruff’ economic times, the Mayor could use a little help...and a good laugh."
Schmitty The Real New Yorkie is no stranger to giving back and doing good deeds. After 9/11, Schmitty posed for a line of greeting cards to give back to the Uniformed Firefighters Scholarship Fund. Now, a portion of the proceeds from her New Yorkie™ calendars, cards and clothing goes to DOGS WHO CARE, a foundation to help pets in need find loving homes. Schmitty has been on The Ellen Show, ACCESS Hollywood, even Japanese TV to bark about DOGS WHO CARE. Schmitty was also named NEW YORKER OF THE WEEK by NY1.
