Terrified German Shepherd Spun Violently and Hurled Into Icy River for a Movie Scene
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

Anonymous, AlterNet.org
March 2018

Crazy Alien appears to have a lot of CGI in it, so the dog scene is particularly egregious. And being plunged into cold water wasn't the only time the dog was abused. Just prior to the scene, the German shepherd was locked in the cage, lifted by the overhead crane, and spun violently in circles by the crew before solidly landing 40 to 50 feet away. This take happened around four to five times.

Working on a movie set is both exhilarating and exhausting. There is always a ton of things happening at any given time. But late last year, while working on the set of a film called Crazy Alien, I saw something terrible that will stay with me forever.

Filming a scene to depict a dog apparently being abducted by aliens, an animal handler tormented a German shepherd into a frenzy so the terrified dog would frantically bark. The dog was locked in a cage, suspended 20 feet in the air by an overhead crane, spun around by the crew, and then plunged into a frigid, fast-flowing river. After five to eight seconds, the director, Chinese filmmaker Hao Ning, yelled "Cut!" He then decided to subject the dog to a second, identical take.

I could not believe my eyes. At first, I didn't know what to do, but the image of that howling dog kept running through my mind. I wanted someone to know what had happened, to be this dog's voice. I decided I had to report it and provide footage to an organization that could take action.

I am grateful that PETA broke the news of what I saw. People all over the world are as aghast as I was to see what happens behind the scenes.

It makes no sense that some movie productions are still forcing animals to perform. With all the computer-generated imagery (CGI) routinely seen in movies these days, there is simply no reason to frighten and exploit animals during the filming process.

Crazy Alien appears to have a lot of CGI in it, so the dog scene is particularly egregious. And being plunged into cold water wasn't the only time the dog was abused. Just prior to the scene, the German shepherd was locked in the cage, lifted by the overhead crane, and spun violently in circles by the crew before solidly landing 40 to 50 feet away. This take happened around four to five times.

Life in the movies is far from glamorous for animals. They have no way of understanding what is being asked of them, and they have no choice but to participate.

While animals in the United States are afforded some protections, animals in China and many other countries evidently have no legal safeguards whatsoever. I remember seeing the damning footage of a desperate dog struggling to stay out of the water during the filming of A Dog's Purpose. That movie was filmed in Canada. Since movie productions take place all over the world, what else is going on that we don't know about?

But no matter how an animal is being used, or where, oversight is inadequate at best, so whistleblowers are on the front lines of getting the word out about what's happening. We must be the ones to speak up.

Crew members working behind the scenes in any aspect of the entertainment industry may not get to make the big decisions, but we have the power to make a big difference. If you see something that you know, or even suspect is wrong, record it in any way possible.

Contact PETA's Animals in Film and Television confidential whistleblower hotline at (323) 210-2233 or [email protected] . They will protect your identity. Be confident, and do the right thing.

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