New Zealand has been buzzing with excitement at the upcoming release of The Hobbit, but disturbing allegations of a slew of animal deaths on set have left a dark shadow over the film’s release. While audiences will see an adventure story set in a fantasy world, for the animals involved in the filming the abuse and neglect that they experienced were far too real. In all, five horses, 12 chickens, a pony, and several goats and sheep were allegedly maimed or killed, and according to whistleblowers, all these incidents could have been prevented if director Peter Jackson’s lead trainer and the head of production had fulfilled their duties and heeded the warnings of several wranglers.
Reports of animal neglect coming from whistleblowers include the story of a horse named Shanghai who was hobbled (his legs were tied together so that he couldn’t move) and left on the ground for three hours because he was too energetic for his rider. Afterward, in order to hide his rope burns for filming, his legs were covered with makeup and hair. Hobbling is an outright violation of the American Humane Association’s (AHA) guidelines.
More alleged abuse took place where the animals were housed, with one horse killed and another injured after being placed with two highly strung geldings, despite concerns that the geldings would be too aggressive. Another horse was reportedly killed after falling off an embankment in a severely crowded paddock. Yet another horse died when the horses were moved to the stables, probably from colic, an extremely painful illness, after being fed large amounts of food that he wasn’t used to.
After this incident, the horses were reportedly moved back to the paddocks, where another horse had the skin and muscles of her leg torn away by wire fencing. It has also been reported that several goats and sheep died from worm infestations and from falling into the sinkholes that covered the farm, and 12 chickens were mauled and killed by unsupervised dogs or trampled by other animals when left unprotected.
It is astonishing that these events could happen when the unit production manager was warned by his wranglers and the production was monitored by the AHA! Even more astonishing is that 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. Hurting and killing animals for the sake of a movie is unacceptable, not to mention preventable. And in the end, animals are not ours to use for entertainment or any other purpose.
Posted by Jason Baker
PETA U.S.
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Vincent Johnston...
November 20th, 2012, 9:01 pm
I will not go to see this film – as a film maker myself, no animal should suffer on anyone’s production – the only reason these animals suffered was due to the film makers or “arteests” as they like to call themselves, with their over inflated egos and vanity, decided that their ‘careers’ were more important that the deaths of a few horses. They obviously had “more important things to do” than check on the welfare of the animals on set.
Chi Hsu...
November 26th, 2012, 2:54 pm
If there’s going to be a protest in Auckland let me know and I’ll come support.
tony...
November 28th, 2012, 2:15 am
I’m from NZ and if was in wellington would join your protest. The country is a buzz with this film at the moment and the animal deaths have long been forgotten , well i havent . Good on peta ! peter jackson’s attitude disgusts me and his film is nothing but rubbish .
lina solima...
December 1st, 2012, 1:49 am
I also was not aware of this, and thankyou peta asia you always do a faboulous job, I myself will not be going to see this!!!!!
snez dal...
December 1st, 2012, 8:59 am
I won’t be seeing this film either !!
Jan Lowe...
December 1st, 2012, 3:10 pm
When I read the reports, and there are many, and it confirmed a discussion some months ago, a friend of mine came off the film set and they were disgusted in the way the animals were treated. Many times the animals were not even fed. The beautiful “Shanghai” was also starved to “calm” him down and was often beaten with wet towels, I feel terrible that this animal should have gone through this and all to entertain. I will never see the movie and none of my extended family will either. Jackson should go to jail for his crimes against animals rights. It goes to show that these people are amateurs and as for Peter Jackson – he is just disgusting in more ways than not – he is rude, abusive and cruel as these report are now confirming.
j. hausmanns...
December 2nd, 2012, 4:01 pm
Shame shame shame
There is never an excuse for animal cruelty and in today’s modern world with effects for movies, why weren’t they used?
I shall boycott this movie
kazenoshoujo...
December 8th, 2012, 11:29 am
Gotcha!
kazenoshoujo...
December 8th, 2012, 11:31 am
Jan Lowe, are you serious?! I never been to movie site before!!!!!
kazenoshoujo...
December 8th, 2012, 11:42 am
It’s still a good movie anyway if you ignore all the cruelty. Don’t get me wrong, I love animals and i feel sorry about those poor horses and other animals that are dying there. But still………
Karin Hannah...
December 16th, 2012, 3:20 pm
Well, I loved the Lord of the Rings trilogy of movies, but after reading about what happened on the set of The Hobbit, this is one movie I won’t be going to see, and out of principal and protest. I’ll also be passing on the info to my friends.