Yahoo News PETA demands boycott of new movie after on-set video
PETA has called for a boycott of new movie A Dog's Purpose after a controversial video captured during filming surfaced online.
The animal rights organisation hit out at the production, after a video obtained by TMZ showed what appears to be a German Shepherd in distress after reportedly being forced into rushing waters while filming.
The film, which stars Dennis Quaid, Britt Robertson and Josh Gad, will be released in the US next week, but PETA has urged movie-goers to give it a miss, due to the video and a number of incidents allegedly uncovered by its undercover activist.
Warning: The video below contains footage some readers may find upsetting:
The American Humane Association, which monitored action on the production, also said of the clip: "When the dog showed signs of resistance to jumping in the water, the scene should have been stopped.
"We are placing the safety representative who was on the set on administrative leave immediately and are bringing in an independent third party to conduct an investigation into this matter."
The film's director, Lasse Hallström, has also spoken out about the video's release on Twitter, saying he was "very disturbed" by the content.
"I did not witness these actions, which are unacceptable and would never happen with my knowledge," he said.
"We were all committed to providing a loving, respectful and safe environment for all the animals in the film. I have been promised that a thorough investigation into this situation is under way and that any wrongdoing will be reported and punished."
Gad, who voices the lead dog in the film, also expressed his dismay on social media.
- Josh Gad (@joshgad) January 19, 2017
According to The Hollywood Reporter, PETA first made allegations against the movie on January 11, claiming that the movie fetured pigs with overgrown hooves, goats deprived of food for training purposes, and a kangaroo who died after being unable to eat due to an untreated broken jaw.
The dog was supplied by Birds and Animals Unlimited (BUA), which has since hit back against the allegations, calling them "misleading" and factually specious.
The film's producers, Amblin Entertainment, said that while it "continues to review the circumstances shown in the edited footage, Amblin is confident that great care and concern was shown for the German Shepherd".
It also claims that the stunt in question had been rehearsed so the dog, named Hercules, would be comfortable with the water.
"On the day of the shoot, Hercules did not want to perform the stunt portrayed on the tape," a spokesman said "So the Amblin production team did not proceed with filming that shot."
They insisted that "Hercules is happy and healthy".
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