In a large feature piece set to run in their December 6th print issue (and available online right now), The Hollywood Reporter investigates the truth behind the American Humane Association — the people responsible for slapping the “no animals were harmed” disclaimer at the end of films using live animals in their productions. The reality behind many of these movies was the horrifying discovery that animals were often neglected and abused, and the actions covered up by the AHA to save face.
The report found that innumerable high-profile productions in film and television, including Life of Pi, Luck, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl were plagued with scandals involving animal neglect and cruelty — all incidents that AHA representatives were present on set during and were aware of while they were happening. With Life of Pi, a disturbing incident occurred on a day when a real tiger was needed for a sequence. An email obtained by THR from an AHA representative working on the shoot revealed that the tiger almost drowned while filming a scene in a tank of water, but was rescued by a trainer after being dragged out with a rope; the email mentions in all caps not to mention the incident to anyone.
In the case of Pirates of the Caribbean, the animals harmed were not part of the production, but animals living in the environment where the movie was filmed. When the crew set off special-effects explosions in the ocean, no precautions were taken to protect the delicate marine life in the area, causing dozens of dead fish and squid to wash up on shore for the next four days. The report goes on to list more problematic productions than one can stomach — from horses mysteriously dying during Flicka and Luck, to more horses suffering from “lameness and injuries during The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, to dogs getting punched (??) during Eight Below.
THR acknowledges that the AHA has done much to improve the lives of animals since its inception 136 years ago, but its present problem needs to be addressed. The full report challenges exactly what “no animals were harmed” means during film productions — and what that could mean going forward. It will be interesting to see what happens after this report gets traction.
