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Original poster

Cinema Screening for Dogs

206 replies

Pieceofpurplesky · 12/01/2025 23:20

My local cinema is having cinema screenings where you can take your dog along. So far they have had Wallace and Gromit and The Lion King.

AIBU or has the world gone mad?

OP posts:
IainTorontoNSW · 13/01/2025 00:13

I took part in a radio talkback show in November ...

The host's question to the listeners was about the number of people who attempt to "smuggle" their pet dogs (NOT service dogs) and a few other pet categories into shops, restaurants, cinemas and aeroplanes.

In a local cinema which has canape and wine evenings, I was heartily sick of dogs' noses (and eyes) peeking out of shoulder bags on several women at a 180 person event. My biggest concern was when the women would pick up snack foods and canapes and hand-feed it to the dogs.

My point (on the radio talkback) was that my dog (a boxer/dalmatian cross) loves watching movies and eating dog-safe snacks when he's at home ... AND he'd love to go to a cinema and sit beside/near me and be out and about.

BUT, he's a medium-large dog and hard to hide. He's not into disguises and he's, unfortunately not a toy dog like a miniature chihuahua or a miniature dachshund.

I pointed out to the cinema manager and the event hostess that I was unhappy that women with unwashed hands were touching food on trays as well as their dogs' mouths and I didn't feel as though the whole idea was hygienic enough.

A am a very dog-friendly person but I just see overentitled people NOT THINKING about the situation being so wrong. Most of the other 175+ patrons were truly not expecting hidden dogs and potentially contaminated food.

The cinema manager has since made every effort to notify people in weekly emails and program displays that only CLEAN, GROOMED approved registered service animals could enter the cinema with patrons.

Go figure, eh? Thoughts?

PotholesAnonymous · 13/01/2025 00:23

100's of dogs in a darkened room with the smell of popcorn and snacks.

What could possibly go wrong.

Dutchhouse14 · 13/01/2025 00:28

Ridiculous idea, the world has gone mad.
My dogs would have no interest in watching a film!
And where would they sit? Not on the seats surely??
And leg room /floor spece between the rows is limited.
Films usually last less than 2 hours so should be absolutely fine to leave a dog alone for long enough to go to the cinema.

SereneFish · 13/01/2025 00:29

I would love that. I would go and hopefully some of the dogs would let me pet them during the movie.

petedicks · 13/01/2025 00:30

They aren't films FOR THE DOGS. They're films for humans and these particular screenings just happen to allow dogs along too.

I've been to a few and can report the dogs are always impeccably behaved. Unlike a lot of the humans. In fact the most disrupted one I went to was due to a child kicking off.

I don't go to the cinema as much now I have a dog so I appreciate these.

DBD1975 · 13/01/2025 00:38

I like the idea.
Cannot see anything wrong with well behaved dog being allowed in the cinema.
Even if local a trip to the cinema is going to be around 3 hours and I cannot leave my dog for that long so I am totally in favour.

Turophilic · 13/01/2025 00:44

That is one of the stupidest ideas I have ever heard. In pubs was ok, in cafes a bit much, in John Lewis etc is bloody ridiculous and in the cinema is insane.

Unless they are registered assistance dogs, it is ludicrous.

lonelywater · 13/01/2025 01:32

so long as you dont show Lassie come home. gets coat....

LameBorzoi · 13/01/2025 01:57

I second that it's not for the dogs, per se.

Dogs like being with their owners, and well socialised ones often like a bit of novelty.

This provides a way for owners to get a dog out of the house in a way that's not standing in a freezing field for the umpteenth time this month.

BanToadette · 13/01/2025 02:00

Pieceofpurplesky · 12/01/2025 23:51

Just to add that someone on the page this is on has added that they booked so that their dog got a good seat.

Most days I loathe people but this gives me hope for humanity…

PeachState · 13/01/2025 04:29

My nephew works at a cinema that does this. They give out blankets, treats and water for the dogs. Apparently it’s always really popular and the dogs are really well behaved.

HelenaWaiting · 13/01/2025 04:30

I have consulted my dog and she's not keen on cinema. She prefers a good book.

WiddlinDiddlin · 13/01/2025 04:57

Cinemas (like cafes, shops etc also advertising as dog friendly) are desperate for customers.

They're not doing this because they love dogs, they're doing it because they are scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to get people through doors, bums on seats and spending money.

If you don't like it - a/ tell them and more importantly b/go there, spend money there.

If you have such severe allergies that they'll be triggered by being in a room where a dog was days ago, that has since been cleaned, how on earth do you cope if you're in a room with an assistance dog - which you may be at any point unless you're in an operating theatre or similarly sterile environment? How do you handle sitting on the bus on a seat a dog owner has just vacated, or in a cafe where a dog owner walks past?

At least the places doing this are advertising so you can avoid them!

Thornybush · 13/01/2025 04:59

Omg that's completely ridiculous , dogs unlike children are OK at home alone for 2hrs!

BeCyanSloth · 13/01/2025 05:03

I could never do this with one of my dogs
all she has to do is see any animal on tv including fish and she goes crazy barking and kicking out her back legs like a crazy lunatic
we would soon be asked to leave
My other dog would just sleep through it and I would once again probably be asked to leave due to his snoring and farting 😂
Nice idea if you don’t have loons for dogs like I have

GreenTeaLikesMe · 13/01/2025 05:11

Cinemas are full of fuzzy soft furnishings (carpets, upholstered seats, fuzzy wall coverings, thick curtains) due to the need to ensure the accoustics sound right, avoid echoing and soundproof the venue. So, pretty much designed to pick up dog dander and doggy smells and difficult to get everything properly clean. I really don't want doggy smells in the cinema, sorry.

isthismylifenow · 13/01/2025 05:14

I'm in another country. If something like this was announced, we would all honestly think it was an early April fools joke.

I am very happy that dogs are still not allowed into restaurants, shopping centre's etc. Unless it is a service dog.

If I had to even consider taking mine, I know exactly what would happen. It's dark, so he would just go to sleep. Dark = bedtime.

Unless this is way to sell more seats. As worldwide I think that movie houses are battling to stay afloat these days.

And what about popcorn? 😂. Are there dogs running around trying to catch a thrown kernel.

MerryMaker · 13/01/2025 05:15

@isthismylifenow the showing will be at a time when they struggle to sell tickets.

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 13/01/2025 05:16

I wouldn’t be able to go to a cinema after this event due to allergies.

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 13/01/2025 05:20

WiddlinDiddlin · 13/01/2025 04:57

Cinemas (like cafes, shops etc also advertising as dog friendly) are desperate for customers.

They're not doing this because they love dogs, they're doing it because they are scraping the bottom of the barrel trying to get people through doors, bums on seats and spending money.

If you don't like it - a/ tell them and more importantly b/go there, spend money there.

If you have such severe allergies that they'll be triggered by being in a room where a dog was days ago, that has since been cleaned, how on earth do you cope if you're in a room with an assistance dog - which you may be at any point unless you're in an operating theatre or similarly sterile environment? How do you handle sitting on the bus on a seat a dog owner has just vacated, or in a cafe where a dog owner walks past?

At least the places doing this are advertising so you can avoid them!

I have seen about two assistance dogs inside in the last 20 years. There are very few about in general. They don’t jump on furnishings or approach others. I have to avoid cafes where dogs are and dogs shouldn’t be on seats in buses anyway.

isthismylifenow · 13/01/2025 05:20

GreenTeaLikesMe · 13/01/2025 05:11

Cinemas are full of fuzzy soft furnishings (carpets, upholstered seats, fuzzy wall coverings, thick curtains) due to the need to ensure the accoustics sound right, avoid echoing and soundproof the venue. So, pretty much designed to pick up dog dander and doggy smells and difficult to get everything properly clean. I really don't want doggy smells in the cinema, sorry.

And then there will be those lifting their leg to mark territory too.

Because that is what animals do.

They do what nature taught them. Sitting in the cinema isn't one of them.

RedRiverShore5 · 13/01/2025 05:41

Sometimes if there's a gathering of dogs, as often seen in National Trust cafes, one usually starts barking and then sets the others off, it could be quite noisy in there but I doubt any dog free people would be in there so I suppose it wouldn't matter

Branster · 13/01/2025 05:56

A bit pointless in terms of having any real benefit to the dogs.
And what about allergies for the follow up non dog friendly screenings?
As much as I adore dogs I wouldn't take my dogs to such an event. They're too big to find a comfortable place to rest for a start, we'd leave behind a trail of dog hair and dog dribble and I just think it's too noisy and full of new smells for a dog to truly relax and have a nice rest. Even if they looked chilled, there's no way the dogs would truly enjoy the experience.
Really inconsiderate to non dog owners who might be visiting the cinema afterwards. Even as a dog owner myself, I wouldn't want to visit afterwards. Too dirty and smelly.
Just let dogs be dogs and stop all this nonsense of treating pets like children and imposing their presence onto all other humans.

Branster · 13/01/2025 05:58

Last movie I went to watch at the cinema had such a loud sound that my ears were hurting the next day. No way should dogs be exposed to such artificial noise. It's very cruel.