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Ask Disney to Stop Exploiting Big Cats!

Many of you may have seen, or at least heard about, the Super Bowl ad for a new Fox Entertainment TV series “Animal Control” starring Joel McHale. In the ad McHale is holding a baby cougar. If this had been filmed in the US after Dec. 20 it would have violated the Big Cat Public Safety Act that became law on that day. The law requires that if you are not one of the exempted people like staff at a USDA licensed exhibitor or a veterinarian you must be kept at least 15 feet from a big cat if the cat is not behind a
permanent barrier.

This commercial would violate the new law if it were filmed in the US. It was filmed in Canada, so the BCPSA does not apply. But it is still exploitation of the animal and sends the wrong message. Animals provided to the entertainment industry typically in our view are mistreated. And holding a cub like this sends the message that these big cats make good pets, encouraging people to acquire them. That never turns out well for the animal.

Disney owns Fox Entertainment and we have identified the individuals we believe are the decision makers who can create a company policy of not exploiting big cats like this. Please take a moment to let them know that you object to this exploitation and urging them to stop.

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Ask Disney to Stop Exploiting Big Cats!

2023 Animal Control Superbowl Ad

Subject: Baby cougar in Superbowl Commercial

Message:

Attn: Cheryl Dolins, Senior Vice President (Senior Vice-President Comedy Programming and Development) cheryl.dolins@disney.com and Chetan Dave, Senior Vice President (Comedy Development) chetan.dave@disney.com On December 20, 2022 the broad concern that Americans have about the mistreatment of big cats in captivity was echoed in Congress when the Big Cat Public Safety Act became law after passing the House by a more than 2/3 majority and passing the Senate unanimously. Your “Animal Control” Superbowl commercial, had it been filmed in the US after that date, would have violated the law, which contains fines and criminal penalties of up to five years in prison. The law aside, I am disappointed that a company like Disney whose signature characters are animals and that I think of as animal friendly and a responsible corporate citizen would be so ignorant and insensitive as to film using live big cats like this. You are likely told that the supplier of this animal is government inspected and assured it is treated well. In fact, the people who supply animals like this to the entertainment industry typically treat the animals in a way that people who love animals like I do consider inhumane. What do you think happens to this adorable cub when it is too big and dangerous to pet? If you don’t know, I urge you to watch the Peacock documentary The Conservation Game exposing Jack Hanna and the other “celebrity conservationists” who used to bring big cat cubs onto late night talk shows, but don’t now that they have been exposed lying about where the cubs end up. In addition, showing McHale holding a cub like this sends entirely the wrong message. It suggests that these animals make suitable pets, encouraging people to acquire them. That never ends well for either the cat or the owner. In an era where CGI is so good and so available, there is no excuse for tormenting exotic animals like this. I urge you not to show any episodes that exploit exotic animals like this commercial does and to establish an animal friendly policy of not doing so on any of your productions. In addition, Disney is known for educational content. How about spending the same amount you spent on that ad educating people NOT to have big cats as pets?

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