27 animals died during making of The Hobbit
Technically, maybe it’s correct to say no animals were harmed during the filming of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.”
But away from the set, when the cameras weren’t rolling, 27 animals signed up to take part in the production died, and more were injured – mostly at a New Zealand farm where they were being kept.
Animal wranglers involved in the making of “The Hobbit” movie trilogy say the production company is responsible for the deaths because it kept the animals at a farm filled with bluffs, sinkholes and other “death traps,” according to an Associated Press report.
Despite that, the movie’s credits do carry the American Humane Association’s “No animals were harmed” stamp of approval — the exact wording of which is “No animals were harmed in the making of this film.”
The AHA says its monitoring of animals is limited to the actual filming of a movie or television show, and that it lacks the manpower, funding and authority to police animals when they are away from the set.
But others, PETA included, think that’s splitting hairs.
“How can something like this happen when the unit production manager was warned and the production was monitored by the AHA,” asks PETA, which has been critical of AHA in the past, and which was involved in breaking the story.
PETA also wonders why — given the state of the art of computer graphics — live animals had to be used at all:
“This movie was directed by Peter Jackson, a master at computer-generated imagery (CGI). In a movie that features CGI dragons, ogres, and hobbits, CGI animals would have fit in perfectly. Jackson could have made The Hobbit without using a single animal—and he should have.”
AHA called the deaths “needless and unacceptable,” and said they show that there are shortcomings in the oversight system, which monitors film sets but not the facilities where the animals are housed and trained.
“We are currently only empowered to monitor animal actors while they are working on production sets,” said AHA President and CEO Dr. Robin Ganzert. “We do not have either the jurisdiction or funding to extend that oversight to activities or conditions off set or before animals come under our protection. There are too many incidents off the set and this must stop. It is vital that we work with the industry to bring the kind of protection we have for animals during filming to all phases of production.”
In January 2012, its officials noted, the AHA sent letters to industry leaders discussing, among other things, ways to improve the welfare of animals off the set — something it says can be accomplished with more funding and more authority.
AHA said the Hobbit-related injuries and deaths occurred 186 miles from the main set, and 26 miles from the soundstage. While AHA monitors did visit the farm, and make recommendations that were implemented a year ago, doing so went beyond their jurisdiction and authority, its officials say.
A spokesman for director Peter Jackson acknowledged that horses, goats, chickens and one sheep died at the farm near Wellington where about 150 animals were housed for the movies. He said some of the deaths were from natural causes or “unavoidable” and that the production company moved quickly to improve conditions after learning of the deaths.
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” the first movie in the planned $500 million trilogy, launched with a red-carpet premiere Nov. 28 in New Zealand and opens at theaters in the U.S. this month. PETA is planning to protest premieres in the the U.S. and the U.K.
The Associated Press spoke to four wranglers who said the farm near Wellington was unsuitable for horses because of its many bluffs and sinkholes, and fences in need of repair. They said they repeatedly raised concerns about the farm with their superiors and the production company, owned by Warner Bros.
One wrangler said that, over time, he buried three horses, as well as about six goats, six sheep and a dozen chickens. The wranglers say two more horses suffered severe injuries but survived.
Posted by jwoestendiek December 4th, 2012 under Muttsblog.
Tags: 27 animals, aha, american humane association, an unexpected journey, chickens, deaths, director, entertainment, filming, goats, horses, making, movie, movies, new zealand, no animals were harmed, peter jackson, sheep, the hobbit, trilogy, warner bros, warner brothers, wellington
Comments
Comment from vida
Time December 4, 2012 at 6:22 pm
Boycotting here as well, I can enjoy reading the book again though.
Comment from michelle
Time December 4, 2012 at 7:06 pm
Not acceptable – I will not , can not support a film that has allowed this to occur – SHAME TO ALL WHO WERE INVOLVED !!!!
Comment from Lyra
Time December 4, 2012 at 7:09 pm
“Peta”
Stopped reading there.
Comment from KateH
Time December 6, 2012 at 10:35 am
peta should never open their mouths about animal deaths anywhere as long as they themselves are killing 96% of the animals they get their nasty mitts on. hypocrites!
Comment from Mike
Time December 6, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Before you all start dancing to the tune of Peta’s pipe, inform yourselves first.
No one knows how the animals actually died, and the conditions involved. Peta has an agenda and will likely blow anything out of proportion if it will gain them enough exposure.
By boycotting the film is just plain pointless and demonstrates a lack of critical thinking.
Comment from Leslie
Time December 7, 2012 at 12:08 am
This is disgusting…so much money and they cant keep innocent animals safe. I really wanted to see the movie but will NOT go now. no way. Any time a horse, or other animal would show up on the screen I would be saying “did that horse die? or did that one? How about that animal?” nope the magic has been “killed” by the reality of what they let happen.
Comment from randy
Time December 8, 2012 at 7:49 pm
Well, if that’s the case then let’s boycott all movies with animals in them. The Twilight series should be first. Do what you want, I have been waiting to see this film and I am going to see it. I might pick up some KFC along the way.
Comment from Michael
Time December 9, 2012 at 9:51 am
Just wondering if all you idiot who are boycotting the film are also boycotting cars. Seeing that so many animals are killed by autos every day. PETA ( people eating tasty animals)
Comment from Anonymous
Time December 9, 2012 at 1:54 pm
DISGUSTING AND AWFUL.
Comment from Bob jackson
Time December 9, 2012 at 8:20 pm
I would personally see ten thousand smelly barn animals killed if it meant the making if this movie
Comment from Miss Jan
Time December 9, 2012 at 11:00 pm
The problems were not investigated nor initially reported by PETA so those of you (and I include myself in detesting PETA because of its bizarre behavior across the animal abuse spectrum including its own documented abuses) who dismiss the animal abuse that happened as a PETA-generated fraud need to look deeper. Go to the original source material which had nothing to do with PETA and everything to do with the people who were in NZ actively trying to help the animals ESPECIALLY the horses.
People who read without comprehension and without intent to seek to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but are in dire need of some further education. I include in this the people who post on equestrian websites – such as Chronicle of the Horse which is one of the most popular equestrian forums on the ‘net – completely dismissing the negligence and abuse and savagely attacking anyone who dares to express concern about the animals in NZ who were used in the film.
Michael you need a short course in logic. Pull your head out of your little-boy pants and try to wrap what little brain cells you appear to have around the fact that the subject here is animal neglect and abuse connected with a very high budget potential blockbuster film – it is not about cars and the damage they do to living things that get in their way.
Comment from sylvia
Time December 10, 2012 at 10:24 pm
I don’t understand how a movie with such a great budget would need to use real animals…they should’ve taken the time to plan the safety of the animals st the
Comment from sylvia
Time December 10, 2012 at 10:27 pm
At the farm as they took to plan the film….I’m very indecisive…I might wait till it comes out bootleg…..lol…wouldn’t even want to rent it
Comment from warmccl
Time December 24, 2012 at 9:12 am
I don’t understand the logic of not “using any real animals”? Does it make sense to see them feeding computer generated animals as well as riding through the whole movie on CG ponies and horses? In other words peta is saying that no movie should have to use real animals. But how f***ing stupid would that look. No animal should die on a movie set but PETA is attacking the hobbit to also get more publicity. They always attack big names. How about all the other movies where animals were purposely treated with disrespect and were harmed. Peta didn’t say anything about those movies they didn’t boycott them. They got what they wanted for attacking peter jackson: Fame. There are illegal pigeon shoots held close to where I live and wranglers that break horses legs at rodeos. My community writes PETA about that. And they won’t do a f***ing thing about it. Why? Because were a no name small town that can’t get them any fame for helping us. F*** them and their fabricated stories of caring for animals
Comment from Gail
Time December 28, 2012 at 12:09 pm
I find it heartless. This movie like all others are about money. They should have used computer generated animals. The animals did not ask to be in the movie, and obviously didnt benefit in any way from it!!
Comment from Cristina
Time January 1, 2013 at 5:27 pm
Some of you: get your heads out of your asses and think, for a moment, in someone other than yourselves.
Comment from Capt. Dude
Time January 2, 2013 at 10:36 am
I love KFC just as much as the next guy, but I think there a little difference between killing animals for food and bacicaly sending a bunch of animals you rented to live in a minefield with little hope aside from saying “may the force be with you”
I have no idea what a hobbit even is. All I know is that it’s something like a queer dwarf with a sword or something like that. The only reason I’m going to see it is so whenever an animal pops into frame I can do what I do best… Be an a$$hole. Hey do you see that goat? That goates totally fu<king dead. I know it's that one too because I saw a video of it being thrown into shallow mass grave… He do you see that horse?? That horse is so fu<king dead too!!! They didn't even burry that one though. It's still in a sink hole down under…
Comment from Capt. Dude
Time January 2, 2013 at 10:40 am
Capt. Dude is not stupid. Capt. Dude typed his last comment with an iPhone. I can write very well actually.
Damn you iPhone. By the way, no animals were killed or injured during the making of my iPhone
Comment from Molliooch
Time January 5, 2013 at 3:23 am
P – People E – Eliminating T – Traumatized A – Animals PETA kills 96% of all the animals they get a hold of. They’re misguided if they think killing animals is more merciful than trying to relocate & find permanent & loving homes. They don’t have facilities to keep animals as no kill shelters do. Support No-Kill shelters!
Comment from RavenxEmBellamy
Time January 9, 2013 at 3:46 am
I honestly don’t care or know anything abou PETA, but I will educate myself on this soon. But from what I know right now, I think that it is wrong for animals to die during the making of a movie, however, I’m not going to boycot a movie when there are better things to boycot. Thr Lord of the Rings movies and books are fantastic so I knew that the Hobbit would be the same way. The reason they wouldnt use CGI on animals is because it wouldnt look as good if they could ride real horses. I do agree, however, that Mr. Jackson should’ve expected to farm before putting animals there, but theres nothing that can be done about what should have happened. I just hope that he doesnt make that same mistake again, so we can enjoy a death free movie.
Comment from Logic
Time January 10, 2013 at 1:35 am
I have seen the movie, didn’t hear about this until after I saw it, and I don’t regret it Plus, just wondering, did you idiots read this article? The article alone says that they were not intentionaly killed. The real bad guys are PETA. Not to mention that other websites back this up.
Comment from none ya biz
Time January 11, 2013 at 1:41 pm
I think this is sad and I keep telling my friends and they say no but i know it’s true.
Comment from Cassie
Time February 14, 2013 at 8:16 pm
Animals die everyday. The article makes it sound as though the deaths were due to natural causes and the terrain, not due to malnutrition or abuse. These sort of things happen on farms. They were unintentional accidents.
Comment from jim
Time March 8, 2013 at 10:58 am
I will not see this stupid movie. I am glad it was exposed.The ignorant comments on this list makes me sad, because it seems as if life is not valued. I love all animals and hope that in the future big movies that destroy animals get huge fines,even though it doesn’t bring the lil ones back it will make duffuses like jackson think twice.
Comment from fluffy
Time March 18, 2013 at 7:39 pm
i dont know much about peta but i do know that 27 animals died in the making of this movie. not all were intentionally killed but some were. im going 2 educate myself about peta and see if the rumors are true. im an animal lover and am boycotting this movie. also warmccl ur community should write to the ASPCA, not peta. (www.aspca.com)
Comment from Debbie
Time December 4, 2012 at 2:25 pm
The production company is responsible for this tragedy. I’m super bummed cuz I was really looking forward to seeing this movie and now I’m boycotting it – so r my friends and family.