As the comedic genius behind the TV show Family Guy and the blockbuster film Ted, Seth MacFarlane knows a thing or two about what’s funny. You know what he doesn’t find funny? The abuse of animals for entertainment.
From day one of production on the set of his hilarious new film, A Million Ways to Die in the West, MacFarlane made it clear that in addition to protecting animals from harm, he wouldn’t stand for anything that would cause the animals stress or make them uncomfortable.
In his exclusive interview with PETA’s Lisa Lange, MacFarlane explains, “[I]f it were up to me, that would be the law: that you have to treat animals [well] if you’re doing a movie. And I think at some point, it will be. I think that’s the next big civil rights victory of sorts that will eventually find its way into actuality.”
[A]nything that will even psychologically antagonize an animal, we want to stay away from. And in the age of [computer-generated imagery], you can pretty much do that if you feel like doing it, and I did.
Just like at marine parks and in circuses, animals used in TV shows or movies are exploited and often mistreated. Unfortunately, that familiar “No Animals Were Harmed” stamp of approval doesn’t mean much, as The Hollywood Reporter recently uncovered in its investigation into the American Humane Association.
The good news? With advanced technology like computer-generated imagery and caring filmmakers like Seth MacFarlane leading the way, the suffering of animals for film and television will soon be a thing of the past!