Results: This survey is about animals in movies and the childhood trauma they can cause.
Published on 01/05/2025
I was watching the credits at the end of a movie to remind me of the name of one of the actors. One of the last entries in the credits was the phrase "No Animals Were Harmed," a certification that means a production met the American Humane Association's (AHA) standards for animal care. Its purpose is simple, an assurance that regardless of whatever appears to have happened over the course of the film to any creature did not result in that animal coming to any harm. This was not always the case and I still remember some movies where, even if a leading animal was not harmed, it sure looked like it had, and this caused many sleepless nights for children of my generation. Here is a brief history of animals in film and some of the traumatic movies of the day.

QUESTIONS
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Comments
1.
1.
In the early days of the movies, animals played a big role but untrained stuntmen often worked with untrained animals and the Humane Society started hearing allegations in the 1920s of cruelty and investigated on their behalf. The Hays Code in 1930 set rules to clean up Hollywood, and for humane treatment of animals. Censorship was pursued but animal protection was not. Horses were still being put into dangerous situations to enhance action and drama, so risky that actors like Errol Flynn took filmmakers to task. But nothing really changed until an incident during the filming of the 1939 film "Jesse James". The scene called for Jessie, (Tyrone Power), while being pursued by a posse, to take his horse on a daring leap across a cliff to elude his pursuers. In filming this scene, both horse and stuntman rider fell into the water 70 feet below, after other steps in the process including the horse being blindfolded and galloping over the cliff edge on a greased platform. The stuntman survived. The horse died in a manner so horrific, the details prompted a massive protest and more visible advocating for the safety of animal actors. An agreement in 1940 forced filmmakers to consult with the Humane Association on any films using animals. The Hayes Act was repealed in 1966 however giving the Humane Association very little real power. It was not until 1972 that the first 'No Animals Were Harmed' disclaimer first appeared but it took the litany of animal abuse incidents associated with the 1980 film Heaven's Gate, (a film that had barred the American Humane Association from being on set), to put bite into animal protection. I will spare you the details. If you want to know more about this go to: https://collider.com/no-animals-were-harmed-disclaimer-american-humane-history/ Have you seen the movie or heard about it?

Yes
14%
298 votes
No
58%
1214 votes
Undecided
10%
209 votes
Not Applicable
18%
379 votes
- Would rather now know and just enjoy the magic.
- dont care
- Not know
2.
2.
The movies I saw when I was young did not have the "No Harm" disclaimer in the credits and I thought that, when an animal was injured or actually died, this was for real. In retrospect my fears may have been justified. One of the first movies I remember where one of the animals died was "Old Yeller" from 1957. In Old Yeller, Travis Coates kills his dog, after it is bitten by a rabid wolf while protecting the family. Travis must put down Old Yeller to prevent him from becoming rabid and turning on the family. Have you ever seen this movie?

Yes
40%
841 votes
No
39%
825 votes
Undecided
7%
147 votes
Not Applicable
14%
287 votes
- Cujo wasn't a bad dog, just a sick one.
- Never watch a movie where the dog dies.
- N/A
3.
3.
I don't know if it was the book Black Beauty or the movie National Velvet that was about mistreatment of horses or perhaps I have mixed the two together. All I know is that horses were being injured in movies back then and hopefully are no longer. Did you see either of these movies and did one or both have a lasting impression on you?

Yes
34%
720 votes
No
35%
731 votes
Undecided
10%
218 votes
Not Applicable
21%
431 votes
- I didn't like the horse that threw me but the rest are OK.
- they are good
- Love them
4.
4.
This last one might be lesser known. It is Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell. First published in 1960, it became a best seller and is considered a literary masterpiece, eventually selling over two million copies. It tells about his life in a remote house in coastal Scotland where he kept several wild otters as pets. The 1969 movie remains true to the book and I recall both as an excellent story apart from one scene right at the end. When I watched the movie and this scene was shown, the kids in the audience were shocked for a moment and then there was a collective chorus of boos. I still remember the line from the movie - "It was only an otter." Have you seen the movie or read the book? I think this link will let you watch the entire movie.
Yes
8%
160 votes
No
67%
1400 votes
Undecided
7%
148 votes
Not Applicable
19%
392 votes
- March of The Penguins
- none
- Home again
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