Shark Dies During Filming of an Ad for Kmart

Originally Posted: March 16, 2013

Shark Dies During Filming of an Ad for Kmart

FROM Animal Defenders International (ADI)

ACTION

A white-tipped shark has died of apparent stress while being used to film a Kmart advertisement in Southern California. Tell Kmart to stop using wild animals in all future advertisements.

Howard Riefs
Director, Corporate Public Relations
Sears Holdings (Kmart’s parent company)
3333 Beverly Road
Hoffman Estates, IL 60179
(847) 286-8371
 
AND
 
Brian Hanover
Media Relations, Sears Holdings
Brian.Hanover@searshc.com 

INFORMATION / TALKING POINTS

Though the American Humane Association (AHA) certified the shoot and had a representative present, the shark showed signs of stress as actors jumped in and out of the pool where the shark was being held. Despite receiving adrenaline injections and oxygen, the shark died after being removed from the outdoor pool.

Kmart reportedly requested another shark after the first one died; the production company refused.
 
Karen Rosa, Sr. Advisor for AHA’s Film & Television Unit, told Reuters, "We honestly don't know why the animal died. It was not being mistreated. It was not being harmed."
 
This is just one more tragic example of how unsuitable and dangerous a production set is for captive wild animals.  

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Thank you for everything you do for animals!

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