A Dog's Purpose Hollywood premiere, Canadian preview screenings cancelled
Canadian animal welfare groups chime in, cut earlier support of film
The Hollywood premiere of A Dog's Purpose has been cancelled amid growing concern and calls to boycott the shot-in-Canada film, following the release of a video — purportedly from the movie set — showing a distressed German shepherd being forced into turbulent water.
On Thursday, producer Amblin Entertainment cancelled the movie's weekend promotional events in Los Angeles.
"Because Amblin's review into the edited video released [Wednesday] is still ongoing, distributor Universal Pictures has decided it is in the best interest of A Dog's Purpose to cancel this weekend's premiere and press junket," the producer said.
"Since the emergence of the footage, Amblin has engaged with many associated with the production of the film, including safety personnel, trainers and stunt coordinators as part of their in-depth review. While we are all disheartened by the appearance of an animal in distress, everyone has assured us that Hercules the German shepherd was not harmed throughout the filmmaking."
The American Humane Association, which had an animal safety representative on the set, told CBC News the worker has been placed on administrative leave.
The film, shot in Manitoba in 2015, remains scheduled for wide theatrical release on Jan. 27.
'It's upsetting to me,' says producer
Gavin Polone, one of the movie's producers, said he was on the set for about 70 per cent of all scenes filmed, but did not witness the incident depicted in the video, which was released Wednesday by online tabloid site TMZ.
Though Polone said he never saw any animals in distress, he described the footage as "upsetting" and supports the investigation into the incident.
Why not come forward with this immediately after it happened so that if people were doing wrong, they could be stopped?- Gavin Polone, producer
"Any time I see an animal looking like it might be in some kind of stressful situation, it's upsetting to me, in this context or any other," Polone said, adding he got involved with the movie as a longtime dog owner and animal lover.
He added that he finds it curious that the footage — allegedly shot in November 2015 — would surface just as the film prepares to hit cinemas rather than right away.
"Why not come forward with this immediately after it happened so that if people were doing wrong, they could be stopped?"
Boycott urged
Regardless, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Toronto-based Animal Justice are vigorously calling for a boycott of A Dog's Purpose and all films that use real animals.
Several Canadian animal welfare groups have also chimed in on the disturbing video, from the PEI Humane Society to the Montreal SPCA, to the Ottawa Humane Society.
In the meantime, a number of Canadian animal shelters and veterinary groups have been caught up in the controversy, after having arranged fundraising preview screenings of A Dog's Purpose.
Vets to Go and the Calgary Humane Society decided to cancel their upcoming event in Calgary after the video surfaced.
Theatre giant Cineplex said Friday it will waive cancellation fees for any groups that have booked preview screenings of A Dog's Purpose.
As a result, Saskatoon's New Hope Dog Rescue, in partnership with Western College of Veterinary Medicine students, has now cancelled its earlier planned screening.
Featuring several different dogs and a cast led by Dennis Quaid, A Dog's Purpose follows the many lives of a reincarnated dog named Bailey, voiced by Tony-nominated and Grammy-winning actor Josh Gad. It's directed by Lasse Hallstrom and based on a bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron.
Gad, Hallstrom and Cameron have all noted on social media that they were alarmed by the video. None witnessed the incident depicted in person.
"I was as disturbed as you were by the video …. Though obviously edited and hysterically headlined, the images speak for themselves," Cameron wrote on Facebook. "I want all the facts at my disposal before I pronounce judgement or issue an opinion."
With files from Bryce Hoye and The Canadian Press