Rescue Dogs Take Starring Role

This morning I woke up to an article from BlogPaws asking “Can Shelter Dogs And Cats Be Movie Stars?“. Without even thinking for a second, I came to the conclusion that yes, dogs and cats from shelters can star in movies. While shelter dogs and some breeds have bad labels or are categorized based on the actions of a few, they are just like any other dog; adaptable, strong, loving, and able to do just about anything!

The article went on to talk about a new movie, “P.I. Woof” by filmmaker Larry Kay, and how it involved 35 shelter dogs from the Pet Orphans shelter in California.

This is just one of a handful of movies about (or starring) shelter dogs. Another movie, just released April 1, 2016, is called “Rescue Dogs: The Movie“. The trailer makes it look like a romantic comedy meets Babe (the talking pig). It has sweeping beach shots, humor, evil characters, and (hopefully) a happy ending- with lots of dog kisses.

Making the transition from shelter to set or state is another trainer, Bill Berloni. He estimates rescuing over 150 animals since he started training them for stage in 1977. His animals have been featured in Broadway shows (Annie), tv shows, traveling show productions, commercials and more. He even had a recent show on Discovery’s Family Channel called “From Wags to Riches with Bill Berloni“. It followed his progress from signing a contract, finding a dog for the part (including several shelter visits across the U.S.), training, and even some behind-the-scenes work with the actors. We were even treated to a story of how they ended up with several ducks!

The best part of Bill’s work, is that when the dogs are done their work, they stay a part of Bill’s family; as part of a big forever home.

While the article isn’t clear if the dogs working on the movie “Max” were rescues, here is an interesting story from USA Today about how they were selected and the training involved for the stunt sequences.

“Max” is the story of a dog come home from war. He suffers from PTSD and bonds with the brother of his deceased handler. Through they movie, the bond between the boy and heroic Malinois grows.

The American Humane Association is the group that administers the No Animals Were Harmed certification program when animals are used on film or TV. They also conduct the Pawscars Awards (a twist on the Oscar Awards) which celebrates top animal stars on film or television. Checkout the AHA website here, or my post on the Pawscars here.