# "no animals were harmed in the making of this film" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 8, 2000, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-animals-were-harmed-in-the-making-of-this-film/44693 "2000-12-08T21:59:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jrishaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5fc32e/32.png) [@jrishaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrishaw)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-animals-were-harmed-in-the-making-of-this-film/44693/1 "2000-12-08T21:59:20Z")
… what happens when animals were harmed, (accidentally?) do they have to say that? what is the purpose of the message? feel-good? PETA? ---
**Author:** ![Conti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Conti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conti)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-animals-were-harmed-in-the-making-of-this-film/44693/2 "2000-12-08T22:04:04Z")
The purpose of this message is so that the ASPCA and other animal rights groups wont sue or jump all over the film company. ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-animals-were-harmed-in-the-making-of-this-film/44693/3 "2000-12-08T22:32:37Z")
IIRC, films/shows which use animals are required to have an animal protective agency on the lot. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-animals-were-harmed-in-the-making-of-this-film/44693/4 "2000-12-08T22:52:13Z")
They’re not _required_; it’s just seen as good PR. ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-animals-were-harmed-in-the-making-of-this-film/44693/5 "2000-12-08T23:12:06Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_370b.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_370b.html) Of course, my question about films with this certification is, were the crew fed vegan diets only? Otherwise, I dunno . . . ---
**Author:** ![ignatzmouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b2d939/32.png) [@ignatzmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatzmouse)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-animals-were-harmed-in-the-making-of-this-film/44693/6 "2000-12-08T23:13:56Z")
How about lunch? I suspect a lot of chickens and cows have been (indirectly) harmed through the caterers for most of these films. ---
**Author:** ![Ura-Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Ura-Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ura-Maru)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2000, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-animals-were-harmed-in-the-making-of-this-film/44693/7 "2000-12-08T23:44:49Z")
Or what if the best boy hits a chipmunk on the way to work! Proably something like “All violence against animals was simulated.” Or, far more likly, they leave it off. I doubt it happens often, though. Trained animals are expensive as hell, even without the ASPCA they’d probably be careful. Though the old westerns WERE awful tough on the horses . . – “No stuntmen were harmed in the making of this film.” ---
**Author:** ![LazarusLong42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@LazarusLong42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LazarusLong42)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-animals-were-harmed-in-the-making-of-this-film/44693/8 "2000-12-09T01:33:50Z")
I can’t remember where I saw it (it was on TV, not in a movie) but: “No animals were harmed in the making of this film. However, a gerbil was fondled at the wrap party.” LL ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2000, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-animals-were-harmed-in-the-making-of-this-film/44693/9 "2000-12-09T02:01:00Z")
The Ox (or whatever it was) that was slaughtered in _Apocalypse Now_ was real.