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

[SJaneS48]

We re watched ‘ I am Legend’ last night - not the best film to watch in the middle of a pandemic! Though it was sad his daughter and wife died accidentally, I was a hell of a lot bothered by the dog dying! I’d also definitely go full John Wick (without the firearms and any martial arts ability obviously!). I’m not sure if I’m missing some empathy chip but I’m definitely more involved about what happens to the dog in haunted house horror films than I am the families!

[LaurieFairyCake]

I NEVER watch animal peril. Not documentaries, not life of a dog type films.

Happily watch loads of humans die

I asked on here a while ago about the John Wick dog death - and I decided against it

[APJ1]

I'm the same. When I watched the first series of Broadchurch, I wasn't fussed about the revelation of the killer by the end. I was just happy that the dog, which had earlier been threatened, didn't come to harm after all!

[DilloDaf]

I'm the same, it's strange, like an instinctive reaction.
I can't watch any animal being injured or dying on tv and have to switch off if it looks likely. Same with reading news reports about animal cruelty, even if I just see a headline it's in my head for hours and really upsetting.

[pigsDOfly]

Balaur Thanks for pointing that out.

I looked up the Jackson Brodie books and I think you might be right. I beg the author's pardon that I said it wasn't memorable

From what I can see of the series it would certainly fit and it was very obvious that the author was a massive dog lover.

[Helencatz]

Yes definitely not bothered about any human big or small. Hurt a animal and I'm bawling my eyes out.

[ZaraCarmichaelshighheels]

I’m the same, I can only watch things with animals in it if I know beforehand that they don’t get hurt or die, I can’t watch nature programmes or supervet and as for the animal charity adverts I have to switch them off immediately, if I hear on the news or read anything about animal cruelty it haunts me for days.

[Gingaaarghpussy]

I havent watched anything since lassie.
The littlest hobo, beethoven, the incredible journey, the killer whale films. All films that have real animals in, reduce me to tears. Animation not so much.
Since I've had kids, I can't watch nature programs either.

[Downunderduchess]

Same.

[WinterAndRoughWeather]

People are terrible, dogs are the best. We all know this on some level.

[FishPalace]

It’s a cultural thing. British people tend to anthropomorphise animals to an unusual extent.

[WinterAndRoughWeather]

@FishPalace

That’s true. I blame The Wind In The Willows.

[GCAcademic]

I wasn’t able to get past the first ten seconds of the US version of House of Cards as it opens with a dog being hit by a car.

[Helencatz]

'Cultural thing' now I've heard it all.

[SJaneS48]

“It’s a cultural thing. British people tend to anthropomorphise animals to an unusual extent.”

Mmm.

But that could be why we have comparably very good (if not by any means perfect) animal welfare laws in the U.K. and a keener interest in good welfare practice - DH works for an International Animal Welfare Charity and by country, the U.K. is the largest donor. To be fair though, as a country we can afford to have better practices than many less well off counties who have a different relationship with animals to the one we have.

[FishPalace]

@Helencatz

'Cultural thing' now I've heard it all.

Have you not spent much time outside the UK, @Helencatz? I can assure you that attitudes towards animals are very much dependent on culture.

An obvious example is the way in which certain countries have strict demarcations between ‘animals you eat’ and ‘animals you have as pets’ while others don’t. British people are horrified by the slaughter and consumption of dogs in a way they are not by cattle or pigs, whereas it’s very normal in some countries.

In some developing countries there are no animal welfare laws, as @SJaneS48 says. In some countries blood sports like bullfighting are legal and widely and publicly carried out. Badger baiting or dogfighting are illegal and maligned in the UK, but fishing and game shooting are legal.

I remember being very struck within a couple of days of my first arrival in England in the 1990s being struck by a woman stepping over a homeless man outside a shopping centre to give a can of food to his dog.

[Helencatz]

Nation of animal lovers I love it and very happy to be part of it.

[Helencatz]

Thank you for the compliment anyway.

[Ohyeahs]

I won’t ever watch Marley and Me because of this. I’m a huge horror fan and when there’s a dog in it, you just know it won’t survive. I was reading a book when DH was watching I Am Legend and I cried like a baby even though I hadn’t been watching the film

[cosmopolitanplease]

Christ, a thread by and for people who are obviously distressed by animal cruelty and someone has to come on and remind us of how animals are treated cruelly in other countries. Ffs.

[Mrsjayy]

I had to put dogs purpose off I couldn't finish it Hachii there was proper snot and sobs it is an awful film !

[Mrsjayy]

Well the thread took a turn

[JuneAndy]

It's a genuine 'rule' - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Save-Cat-Only-Screenwriting-Youll/dp/1932907009/ref=sr11_2?dchild=1&keywords=Screenwriting+dog&qid=1600028763&s=books&sr=1-2

[CandidaAlbicans2]

Me too. I now avoid watching most TV and films with animals in as I find it so upsetting if they come to harm; far less so with people, and usually only in real life human tragedies. I once had an argument with an ex because I point blank refused to watch Marley and Me because I knew the dog dies in the end.

It’s a cultural thing. British people tend to anthropomorphise animals to an unusual extent
Maybe, but for me I don't think I anthropomorphise animals, I just tend to prefer them to people (I don't see them like humans at all). For example, I have no interest in baby humans to the point I'm often almost repulsed by them, but feel very nurturing towards animals, especially juvenile ones.

[DilloDaf]

Puppies and kittens are much cuter than human babies.

[SJaneS48]

I thought my own human babies were exceptionally cute way beyond the norm - looking back at pictures, I was seriously deranged and they’ve improved in looks hugely!

Like @CandidaAlbicans2, I don’t anthropomorphise my pet menagery either and just prefer animals to a lot of humans. There are definitely times when my DDs are being whingy, hormonal complete pain in the arses that I’d probably just prefer to live alone on an island with the dog and cat!