Naperville Humane Society Cancels "A Dog's Purpose" Event
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Now that a behind-the-scenes video has raised questions about the treatment of animals in the movie "A Dog's Purpose," a suburban humane society has canceled a fundraiser where that movie was to be screened.
The Naperville Area Humane Society hoped to raise at least $1,000 by showing the movie, which is described in the film's publicity, as the story of a dog "who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he teaches to laugh and love."
But then TMZ posted a hard-to-watch video Wednesday morning showing a German Shepherd apparently frightened and struggling to get away as handlers tried to force him in roiling water.
Anna Payton, the Executive Director of the Humane Society, said the short clip was enough for the Society to cancel the screening and the fundraiser.
"Many people who purchased tickets actually have said please keep it as a donation," said Payton.
The American Humane Association, the organization that certifies the 'no animals were harmed' message at the end of movies, said it is investigating.
"Based on what we saw - the snippet we saw and the information that we do have at this time - we felt that we cannot in good faith support a movie that is seemingly condoning the acts shown in the video," Payton said. "And that is why we decided to cancel the screening."
