Just me or are others more bothered by a dog dying in a film/tv programme than humans?

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I always shout at the TV that I hope no ddog was hurt in the making of this! Dh rolls his eyes if a ddog is ever on scene!

Yeah me isn't it awful? I don't think I'm a sociopath... but I definitely get more upset when the serial killer gets the dog, rather than the five humans that he's already offed.

It's that little whimper that they always include

Me too! Never watch “A dog’s purpose” I made that mistake on a flight once and cried from start to finish 💔

Me too. You expect deaths of humans in certain films before you start watching, but the dogs’ deaths always take you by surprise and they never deserve it. Definitely not a sociopath!

It's because dogs are so innocent (no malice or scheming - they are what they are). Not that the victims of crime aren't innocent too but it's different.

And also, we understand that humans know from an early age that other humans are capable of terrible things. But a dogs nature is so innocent and trusting...

Yes I do. I have watched I am Legend twice and both times cried when the dog died.

DH said "so you don't care that so many humans died?" and I just said "no".

We can't watch I am legend anymore as both of us know what's coming with the dog

Yes, as soon as an animal appears in a film I say 'I hope nothing happens to it'. I was so angry about the tiger in The Walking Dead, even though I'd happily watched countless humans eaten alive!

I do wonder if something's wrong with me. I can't watch The Supervet because of the stress it causes me (it's not always a happy ending!) but I am an avid watcher of 24 Hours in A&E, Ambulance etc. I do have empathy for innocent people but age has made a misanthrope of me.

The first time we watched Marley & Me we had just got a beautiful rescue yellow Lab. Towards the end of the film our dog took to his basket and faced towards the wall as if he knew and couldn't bear to watch what was coming!

The second time at that point DH went and made tea and returned distinctly pink eyed.

We lost our gorgeous boy last year after 11 great years. We won't watch it ever again.

I'm the same with cats.

Me too! Never watch “A dog’s purpose” I made that mistake on a flight once and cried from start to finish 💔


Oh definitely. I was in a right state watching this!

There's a website where you can check if the dog dies in a movie

Yeah I'm the same , it's a great film but very sad when he has to kill
His dog 😔

Me too - if there’s a fire in a book , film or real life my first concern is the dog, cat and any other wildlife .

Not surprising at all really as Dogs are so much nicer than most humans.....

Yeah, another one here.

Dogs are so trusting and vulnerable.

I almost always stop reading books or watching things if it looks like a dog is going to be hurt or killed. I find it too upsetting.

The only book that I didn't stop reading where a dog was hurt was a detective story that started with the detective punching a man he saw beating a dog with a stick. He knocked the guy out, took the dog home and kept him as his well cared for pet.

It wasn't a particularly memorable book and that's pretty much all I can recall about it, but I finished reading it because I thought he was such a hero

Yes. I cry over the dogs but also get very distressed at seeing and hearing babies/young children screaming in fright, as adult actors shout over their heads
Who would let their baby on set for this to happen to them ?

I'm 100% with you

I agree.

I watch through my fingers and say “Nooo, not the dog/cat/other animal”.

Totally.. I am legend has me in bits. And any other film where an animal suffers. It's their innocence. Humans do horrible things to humans but animals just ARE.
It extends to me not being able to visit some countries because of the starving animals around. I KNOW there are humans living in abject poverty but show me a thin beaten donkey and I cannot cope.
Even visiting Rome.. there were so many stray cats I found it really hard to see (I also have cats).

In my defence I support both animal and human charities monthly!!!

Me too. Any hint of an animal coming to harm or worse and that’s it for me. Even if it’s a cartoon character.
Human characters - meh!

Red Dog is another

Yes, I'm the same sociopathic can handle humans getting offed in films etc but not animals. It IS their innocence i think.

Pigsdofly I'm pretty sure that was one of Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie series of books. I remember it particularly because that scene was set in a park I live very close to.

Not me. I cry at humans much more than animals. However my DC is the same. Can watch any sad film, cartoon, fairy tale etc without any emotion but the first time they watched a film where a dog died, they were inconsolable. Now have to check what happens to any dog before we watch any film. It bothered them terribly. Slightly strange 😆