ASPCA: Make Your Pet a Star!

Top 10 Tips for Getting Your Pet Into Showbiz

So, you think your pet’s a star! All our animals are our own leading ladies and gents, but it takes that extra je ne sais quoi to thrive in the limelight. Not to mention the hard work and dedication of you, the pet parents! We talked to Victoria Wells, ASPCA Manager of Shelter Behavior and Training, to find out more about pets and showbiz. Wells has worked as a trainer on commercials for the SciFi channel, music videos (including Eve and Sean Paul’s “Give It To You”) and other exciting projects involving animals.

1. Is my pet suited to stardom?
   
   

   A great temperament goes a long way. To be an animal actor, your pet should love to be around people of all types, and should be comfortable in unusual situations and strange places. “Fearful animals do poorly in this type of work,” Wells says. “On set, animals are exposed to bright lights, music, cameras, and other new sensations.” Early exposure to all unusual things makes for the best animal actor.
   
   As for your pet’s appearance, good looks count for animals just as much as they do for people in showbiz! Happily, there is a place for everyone—funny faces do well, too! Light-coated animals tend to get cast more often—particularly tan dogs and orange cats, because they show up better on camera.

2. How can I help my pet get a paw up on the competition?
   
   

   Animals don’t necessarily have to know tricks. Sometimes they just have to fit the look a production is seeking and be well-mannered. However, in order to score more work, dogs should know at least basic obedience. A well-trained pooch is always in demand. “Take your dog to classes or get a trick training DVD,” suggests Wells.
   
   You can also prepare your pet for showbiz by preparing him to be on a production set. The best way to condition your animal to flashes—or anything that is new and startling—is to start off slowly. Wells recommends turning on and off a light and pairing the flashing light with a treat. Do this repeatedly, and replace the light with a flash when you notice your pet is not fazed by it.

3. What does my pet need to get started?
   
   

   Just as human actors need headshots, animal actors need professional photos! These photos are like business cards for pets. Production companies use them to pick the animals for a show, movie or print job. Agencies choose the animal actors for both talent and looks. We suggest hiring a photographer who specializes in working with animals to get the best results—and the most enjoyable, comfortable photo session—for your future furry star.

4. I’m ready for the world to meet my pet. Where do I begin?
   
   

   Most TV, film and print work is produced in Los Angeles and New York. “Contact animal talent agencies and trainers through www.newyork411.com and www.la411.com, two professional production referral websites,” Wells advises. Submit your pet’s photos to the agencies and trainers you feel would work well with your superstar. You can do this via mail, email, or through their websites. Not all agencies will take phone calls, but if a phone number is listed, it can’t hurt to call! Above all else, make sure they use humane methods!

5. What are the various jobs animal actors can do?
   
   

   Animal acting jobs can range from print ads and photo shoots—just imagine your little one’s face on a package of pet food!—to music videos, commercials, TV shows and movies. Some animals even appear in live stage productions, like Toto the dog in The Wizard of Oz.
   
   Sometimes the animal is asked to do little more than hang around or do something that requires little or no training, like eating from a bowl. “More demanding roles involve complicated, trained behaviors. Sometimes the animal must interact with the actors, for example,” Wells says. Dogs in particular can perform advanced tasks such as hiding, running to an object on cue, or even displaying various emotions. (Think Eddie on the TV sitcom Frasier!)
   
   Often, we even see dogs speak lines of “dialogue!” We wonder if any pooches know how to read a script!

6. Are there certain animal welfare guidelines that production companies must follow?
   
   

   Film and photo shoots are usually monitored by a representative from American Humane. The animals are not supposed to work for long periods of time without a break, and they must have shade from the heat and warmth from the cold. “There are movies I have boycotted because of reported mistreatment of the animal talent,” Wells says. “If you want to know what goes on with your animal actor, I suggest you be the handler.”

7. Do animals need to be able to work well with other animals on set?
   
   

   It’s absolutely useful if your pet gets along well with other animals. However, there aren’t always other animals on set. “I would be in trouble if that were the case,” says Wells. “Some of the huge dogs I deal with don’t like other dogs, but are the only ones in the show or video.”
   
   If your pet has to share the stage with another animal, you might be able to distract her with a treat or toy. If filming a music video, for example, you can usually be as loud as you want because they add the music later. Wells suggests you get your dog used to being around other dogs at a distance of about five feet while feeding treats, and begin to decrease the distance when you see there is no reaction to the other dog.

8. How can you teach an animal to work away from his handler and be comfortable with his on-stage family?
   
   

   Make it fun! Have some friends come over and work with your pet on some tricks and training. This way, he will get used to taking cues from strangers. You can ask someone else to occasionally feed him his meals and walk him. The more people you expose your pet to, the better. It’s especially a good idea if he gets used to children, since many animal roles involve playing the family pet.

9. How much dough can an animal actor make?
   
   

   Most animals would be happy to work for food. Since we people aren’t so wonderfully simple, there is cash to be made in this biz! Compensation depends on the project and the trainer. A fee or day rate is usually paid to the trainer. If you are your pet’s trainer, you keep the whole sum. But if your pet is recruited by another trainer, the animal usually gets a cut of the trainer’s fee. An animal can make anywhere between $100 and $500 per day of shooting. (Wow, that would buy a whole lot of chew toys!) So it definitely pays to be your pet’s handler! And as we said earlier, it’s also safer—you can make sure your buddy gets humane treatment on set.

10. What other pets can work in showbiz besides dogs and cats?
    
    

    There is work for every animal. Birds, rabbits, ferrets, mice, rats—you name it. “If you pay close attention to what you see on TV or the big screen, animals creep up in the strangest places, and someone had to train them or at least be their handler. They don't just wander into the shot!” says Wells with a laugh.

So whether you have a gifted guinea pig or a high-caliber kitty, who knows—you just may just be the parent of the next animal superstar! But even if it doesn’t work out, you can smile knowing your pet already enjoys his favorite role of all—being your best friend.

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