Detailed Animal Action Report

Mickey, a 4 year-old male terrier mix, achieved his action on-screen with the help of an off-camera trainer. The trainer placed Mickey on his mark and cued him to “stay,” reinforcing the command with hand signals. To get Mickey to look in certain directions, the trainer attracted his attention by calling him from off-camera.

When Mickey wasn’t taking cues from his trainer, he was happily gobbling up treats from the actor who plays Ben, Jesse Bradford. Bradford fed his canine acting partner table scraps and dog treats both during the scenes and between, much to Mickey’s delight. Of course, having a full stomach enabled Mickey to realistically achieve those languid poses on the couch, sometimes even inspiring him to nap—something he felt his character would do.

The Film and TV Unit of the American Humane Association (AHA) monitored the action sequences involving animals. The AHA has sole authority, through a contract with the Screen Actors Guild, to protect animals used in film and television. Inspectors reviewed the script and action scenes before and during filming to ensure that animals were not harmed or mistreated and that AHA Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media were upheld. They also monitor conditions in which animals were housed during production.