Being a puppet is not a dog’s purpose

This past January, a video surfaced from the set of the film “A Dog’s Purpose” that set the nation on edge: a German Shepherd being forced into rushing waters when it was obviously resisting its trainer. Later in the video, the dog goes underwater with trainers diving towards it to prevent the frightened dog from drowning.

“A Dog’s Purpose” has brought many very opinionated people to speak out about the video. There is no clear depiction as to whether the video was true or edited. Whether it is real or a fraud, it has still disturbed many people to the point of boycotting theater attendance at the movie.

The West Essex student body and faculty now has a tough choice to make. Will they believe what they have seen or ignore it, even with the little real information we have?
Per The Guardian, activist group, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), claimed that the video is indisputable proof of animal abuse on set and show s how movies like this treat animals. The organization has called for dog-lovers to boycott the movie.

According to Fox News, Universal Pictures cancelled the premiere of “A Dog’s Purpose” due to the release of this video. It certainly has gained a lot of controversy, and people of West Essex are starting to take notice.

“I don’t think they should cancel the movie, least they could do is fine the trainers of the dog and director” junior Pat Reilly said.

“I am a big supporter of animal rights because they have no way to fight back,” Ms. Fernicola said. “If they are not going to cancel it they should donate a lot of money to ASPCA or an organization like that to show the public they don’t condone harming animals.”

Despite rumors and clips flying around social media, some do not believe what they see. The producer of the movie defended the movie and himself by claiming the video was edited.

“These two things are absolutely inexcusable and should never have happened, but without excusing myself and others, there is more to this story that I think should be known,” Gavin Polone, producer, said as stated in USA Today on Jan. 25.

The scenes caught on camera here were never meant to leave the set of the movie. Since they have leaked there has been an outcry from animal lovers. They have begun to advocate for more stringent rules on how animals can be used in movies. PETA is even are looking to remove live animals from movies completely.

This movie appeals to dog lovers of the world, who consider their pups to be their best companions. “A Dog’s Purpose” is a feel good story about a dog’s journey to find his way back to his owner. This story, however, has manifested into a debate over ethical treatment of animals. The video, being seen by many people, has given them a negative view of the movie.

This one short clip could ruin the millions of dollars put into the movie and will certainly affect the number of people going to see it. Should you decide to go see this movie, just remember: there could be more to the story.