Yesterday, I received a TMZ-released video in my inbox of a dog being mistreated on the film set of A Dog’s Purpose.

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The reason I received it?

I replied “maybe” to a invite to a local animal rescue to see an advanced screening for a fundraiser.

I didn’t want to watch the video; but I did in the end because I wanted to make up my own mind.

I had mixed feelings.

The dog was meant to shoot a scene in rushing water, but done in a pool. The dog was obviously terrified to shoot the scene. (S)he did not want to get into the water. It appeared that the handler was trying to force her in. Yes, I felt bad for the dog. But I guess I felt like the “news” was making this out to be something it was not – that someone was deliberately harming a dog on camera for the sake of the movie. {Like forcing it to sit in a hot car until exhaustion while it whines and whimpers.}

I will not post TMZ’s video, not because of it’s content, but because I don’t want to support TMZ. Obviously, this incident happened some time ago during the shoot of the movie. This is just now being “leaked” just in time for the premier. No way. If you want to see it, you can search for it yourself.

One comment I read about the video:

My dogs fight like this to avoid baths, hair cuts and nail clippings. I have to lay on top of the big one to accomplish most of these feats. The dog was never in any real danger. Sometimes animals dont wanna do things they need to do for their own good. Like children. The dog will be okay and I’m sure the handlers regret their treatment in this instance. But people were on hand to make sure the dog was safe the entire step of the way. He had no way of knowing the dog would panic once in the water like he did.

Later, the local animal rescue posted something else:

UPDATE: AMC is happy to let us play a different movie. Right now we are waiting to see if the film makers have any response. But assuming this is video footage from this movie, we will not be participating. We cannot in good conscience support a movie with this type of treatment of animals.

We understand your dog might not want to get into a bath tub and look similar to this dog, but please keep in mind that these animals are well-trained, want to please their handlers, and are selected because they will do almost anything. So for this dog to be that “disobedient” shows me how absolutely terrified he was.

Both, great points.

I have a friend who fosters from this animal rescue. So I know that this is coming from an animal rescue that split up two dogs when they were adopted when they required the foster parent to keep them to together. People make mistakes, I think the animal rescue did, too…

This couple fostered two dogs that the animal rescue required to remain together. When the couple eventually decided to become “foster failures” and adopt the dogs themselves, the animal rescue did not allow it. They said that they needed to be adopted separately. The foster couple didn’t not understand why this would be if they had to foster them together! They also knew the temperament of these dogs and knew it was a bad idea. When the first dog was adopted, they had to experience the utter anxiety and sadness that the second dog went through after the first dog’s departure.

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In any case, I am not saying what was done in the video was okay in any way. I do agree with the commenter I quoted that the handlers and people on set are most likely regretful of this incident. We don’t know the whole story or if the producers have yet commented.

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What angers me that this was released just before the movie is to premier.

Why not release it immediately if you are truly worried that any harm is being done on set to prevent anything from happening further?

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That is just irresponsible and in my mind says that you as the “news outlet” or the leaker of the video are people that do not care about the well-being of animals, but only of your own shock value and pocketbooks.

I’m also angered because A Dog’s Purpose is one of my favorite books of all time. I feel badly that author W. Bruce Cameron is to be associated with this. I really still hope you do read book as well as the sequel, A Dog’s Journey. It will be hard to separate it from this movie, but please do. It is well worth it.

In the meantime, I’ll be watching for a statement release from the producers about the well-being of the beautiful dog that went through a terrifying experience.

Carrie