Earlier this month, the discovery that the number of Huskies abandoned has skyrocketed since Game of Thrones aired made international news.
Source: PETA
On Wednesday, August 15, the actor Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister in the popular series, joined forces with PETA to address the viewers of the show who might be tempted to adopt one of these dogs due to their resemblance to the wolves in the series. He declared:
Please, to all of Game of Thrones‘ many wonderful fans, we understand that due to the direwolves’ huge popularity, many folks are going out and buying huskies. Not only does this hurt all the deserving homeless dogs waiting for a chance at a good home in shelters, but shelters are also reporting that many of these huskies are being abandoned—as often happens when dogs are bought on impulse, without understanding their needs. Please, please, if you’re going to bring a dog into your family, make sure that you’re prepared for such a tremendous responsibility and remember to always, ALWAYS, adopt from a shelter.
[caption id="attachment_38900" align="alignnone" width="800"]
Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and his wolf 'Summer'. Source: Game of Thrones/HBO[/caption]PETA explains that this is not the first time that such a phenomenon has occurred. In their online statement, the association explains:
This isn’t the first time that a popular TV show or movie has led to an increased demand for the animals seen on screen. 101 Dalmatians, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Legally Blonde, and Men in Black all caused massive spikes in sales of the featured dog breeds, and many of these dogs were later abandoned at shelters by their ill-prepared guardians.
Tens of thousands of dogs and cats end up in shelters each year, either due to neglect, abuse or abandonment. Sadly, a large number of these are put down as shelters just don't have enough space to care for them.Adopting from a shelter is an excellent way to find a new canine companion as well as save a life. Shelters home dogs of all ages, breeds, and personalities along with vaccinating spaying and microchipping them.[caption id="attachment_38897" align="alignnone" width="689"]
Peter Dinklage and his dog. Source: Bauer Griffin[/caption]Peter Dinklage is not the only star of the small screen to join forces with PETA. Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings), Bryan Fuller and Gillian Anderson (Hannibal) have all added their voice the fight for the rights of every animal.
Cover image: HBO/Pinterest
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