National Pets in Film Day

On professional productions, animal safety planning usually begins before filming, when scripts and scenes involving animals are reviewed to identify and reduce risk.

In the United States, many union and studio projects follow American Humane’s guidelines, which address appropriate training methods, safe sets and props, weather and environmental conditions, transportation, rest periods, and access to veterinary care.

When invited by a production, American Humane’s Certified Animal Safety Representatives may observe animal action on set and can recommend changes if they believe welfare is at risk.  

“No Animals Were Harmed” is a registered certification mark owned by American Humane that may appear in the end credits of a film or television program.

To use it, a production must involve American Humane, allow its representatives to monitor animal action, and follow its published standards for humane care and handling.

The statement means that, to the best of American Humane’s knowledge based on its monitoring and documentation, animals were not intentionally injured or killed for the production, but it does not apply to scenes or projects that were not under its supervision.  

Filmmakers who use animals typically have to comply with general animal‑cruelty and welfare laws in the places where they shoot, along with any industry codes or union rules that apply to their production.

For example, in the Australian state of Victoria, the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Film Animals sets out requirements for planning animal work, supervising animals with qualified trainers or veterinarians, managing noise and crowding, and limiting the use of sedatives or anesthetics.

In the United States, there is no single national law specific to film animals, so local statutes, workplace regulations, and private standards such as American Humane’s guidelines together shape what responsible productions do. 

Some animal‑protection groups argue that certain species, especially wild animals like big cats, bears, elephants, and primates, have complex physical and social needs that are difficult or impossible to meet in commercial entertainment.

They raise concerns about stressful training and performance conditions, frequent transport, separation from natural social groups, and lifelong confinement.

Organizations such as the ASPCA and PETA often recommend that filmmakers avoid using wild animals on set and instead rely on domestic animals, accredited sanctuaries, animatronics, or computer‑generated imagery to portray them.  

Computer‑generated imagery and animatronic figures allow productions to stage complex behavior, dangerous stunts, or scenes involving large wild species without placing real animals in those situations.

Animal‑welfare advocates often view these tools as positive developments because they can remove animals from the most hazardous or stressful parts of a shoot.

Many larger projects now combine approaches, filming real animals only for simple actions under controlled conditions and turning to CGI or animatronics for sequences that would otherwise pose higher welfare risks.  

In modern screen work, dogs, cats, and other pets are usually trained with techniques based on positive reinforcement, such as food rewards, toys, or praise, rather than force or punishment.

Trainers break complex behaviors into small steps and teach animals to respond to verbal cues or hand signals that are less noticeable on camera.

Professional guidelines emphasize starting with animals that are physically healthy and comfortable around people, keeping training sessions short, and designing scenes around what an individual animal can safely and reliably do.  

Viewers who are worried about animal treatment in a film or series can look for information from independent sources such as American Humane, which publishes ratings and notes about many monitored productions.

They can also check for credible news reports or statements from established animal‑welfare organizations and veterinarians.

If concerns remain, people can contact the production company, relevant regulators, or animal‑protection groups with specific questions or complaints, and can choose to support content that clearly documents its animal‑care practices.