WINNIPEG — Animal activists are set to hit the picket line near Polo Park Shopping Centre Friday evening to protest the launch of the film, A Dog’s Purpose.
PETA is calling for a boycott the movie, which was partially filmed in Manitoba, after a video was leaked to TMZ showing a dog being forced into raging waters on set.
The footage of the German Shepherd was posted online just days before the movie’s release. It sparked controversy among many animal rights groups, including PETA.
READ MORE: PETA calls for boycott of ‘A Dog’s Purpose’ after disturbing video released
PETA members will be protesting the film’s opening night outside the Scotiabank Theatre at Polo Park at 7 p.m. The goal is to “boycott the film in order to send the message that dogs and other animals should be treated humanely, not as movie props,” Lisa Lange, PETA senior vice president said in a statement.
Amblin Partners and Universal Pictures issued a statement saying that the dog in the video was 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.”
READ MORE: Animal cruelty investigation launched into Manitoba filmed movie ‘A Dog’s Purpose’
“While we continue to review the circumstances shown in the edited footage, Amblin is confident that great care and concern was shown for the German Shepherd Hercules, as well as for all of the other dogs featured throughout the production of the film. There were several days of rehearsal of the water scenes to ensure Hercules was comfortable with all of the stunts. On the day of the shoot, Hercules did not want to perform the stunt portrayed on the tape so the Amblin production team did not proceed with filming that shot.”
“Hercules is happy and healthy,” the statement concluded.
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