Much ado about nothing
Much virtual ink has flowed in recent weeks about the filming of a scene for doggy tale “A Dog’s Purpose”, which shows a canine actor struggling with a trainer who is trying to put him in a water tank meant to evoke a churning river.
However, a statement received via UIP International (Thailand), which is distributing the film, reports that an independent, third-party investigation conducted by a respected animal cruelty expert into the treatment of animals in the filming of “A Dog’s Purpose” concluded that an edited video given to the gossip site TMZ mischaracterised the events on the set.
“The decisions by the individual or individuals who captured and deliberately edited the footage, and then waited longer than 15 months to release the manipulated video only days before the movie’s premiere, raise serious questions about their motives and ethics,” it reads.
The findings of the independent investigation confirm that no animals were harmed in those scenes and numerous preventative safety measures were in place.
The investigation and eyewitness reports brought to light the following facts:
- The video was deliberately edited for the purpose of misleading the public and stoking outrage. In fact, the two scenes shown in the edited video were filmed at different times.
- The first video scene was stopped after the dog showed signs of stress. The dog was not forced to swim in the water at any time.
- A full spectrum of preparation and safety measures was in place.
- During the last scene, handlers immediately assisted the dog out of the water, at which point he was placed in a warming tent and received an examination that found no signs of stress. Eyewitnesses report that the dog wanted to go back in the water. Still, out of an abundance of caution, American Humane stopped filming of any more scenes with the dog.
The investigation and eyewitness reports affirm that throughout its work on the set, the dog was treated with great care, attentiveness and respect. At the same time, American Humane believes that the handling of the dog in the first scene in the video should have been gentler and signs of stress recognised earlier. That said, it is important to note that this was recognised and the scene did not proceed as insinuated by the misleadingly edited video.
Although the dog was momentarily stressed, based on studying additional footage not included in the video, body posture, and the fact that he quickly and willingly went into the water and performed the scene soon afterwards, a separate, independent, board certified Veterinary Behaviourist brought in to examine the events concluded that there was “no lasting stress response or conditioned fear of the water as a result.”
“American Humane is at the forefront of combatting cruelty to animals through our rescue efforts, support of anti-cruelty raids, and work to improve conditions for animals around the world,” says Dr Kwane Stewart, the veterinarian who heads American Humane’s “No Animals Were Harmed” programme. “It is disappointing that the public was misled by a manufactured controversy promoted by a radical organisation like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals with a mission to remove animals from films and other parts of our lives. We are the first to address and fight cruelty and abuse, and no such things happened on the set of “A Dog Purpose”.
