PETA Calls for Boycott of ‘A Dog’s Purpose’ After Disturbing Video Surfaces

Dave McNary
Film Reporter

JANUARY 18, 2017 | 06:36PM PT

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have called for a boycott of Universal’s upcoming movie “A Dog’s Purpose” in the wake of the release of video showing a dog being forced into churning water on the set.

“PETA is calling on dog lovers to boycott the film in order to send the message that dogs and other animals should be treated humanely, not as movie props,” the group said.

The call for the boycott came on Wednesday, when TMZ released a leaked video from November, 2015, footage of a German Shepherd being forced into turbulent water during the making of the film.

Amblin Partners and Universal Pictures issued a statement saying that the dog in the video, named Hercules, had been rehearsed for the water scenes but balked on the day of the shooting so the production team did not proceed. The companies said they were reviewing the footage.

“‘A Dog’s Purpose,’ produced by Amblin Entertainment and distributed by Universal Pictures, is a celebration of the special connection between humans and their dogs,” the companies said. “And in the spirit of this relationship, the Amblin production team followed rigorous protocols to foster an ethical and safe environment for the animals.”

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