Updated guidelines for dogs in movies

Lassie, Beethoven, Rin Tin Tin and Benji are some of the most recognizable leading characters in TV and films. Whether they are in starring roles or lending a paw to the supporting cast, dogs inevitably make a film or TV show more interesting. The American Humane Association is responsible for ensuring each and every animal’s safety on a movie or TV set.

Most movie and TV watchers are familiar with the “No Animals Were Harmed”® end-credit disclaimer. The American Humane Association is the only organization with the authority to issue this disclaimer and it is the only organization in the world that has jurisdiction from the Screen Actors Guild to supervise animals on-set.

American Humane began supervising animals on TV and movie sets after a horse died during the filming of “Jesse James” in 1940. They update their guidelines on a regular basis, as new information is available from the fields of animal science, animal behavior and animal welfare. The guidelines also have to be regularly updated to keep up with the accelerating pace of film-industry technology.

Recently, American Humane released the 2009 update of their “Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media”. According to an American Humane press release, new information in the 2009 release pertains to topics including Reality Programming, Camera Car Safety and Rodeo Simulation. The guidelines are evaluated, revised and expanded by a panel of experts that includes veterinarians, animal welfare leaders and film industry professionals. The revised guidelines can be found at http://www.americanhumane.org/film.