Life on the Leash

Ever wondered about the “No Animals Were Harmed” message that appears at the end of movies? No animals were harmed - says who? It sure looked like that horse broke his leg …

Rest assured, if you see the “No Animals Were Harmed” end-credit disclaimer, it means that a Certified Animal Safety Representative from the American Humane Association was on set for the production, ensuring the safety and well being of the animal actors. I’ve been lucky enough to get to know Animal Safety Rep Sandi Buck from American Humane over the past few years, working with her on productions like Animal Planet’s Annual Puppy Bowl, a few commercials, and the upcoming Animal Planet special, The Puppy Games (this Friday at 6PM … behind-the-scenes details to follow tomorrow!) Sandi and I always have a great time together on the shoots … when it comes to on-set dog safety, we think alike. We can read each other’s minds … one glance across the room with a raised eyebrow and we both understand that it’s time to pull that puppy off the set.

I asked Sandi a few questions about her cool job … (She drops some pretty interesting names during down-time on set. Let’s just say that I have a new respect for George Clooney.)

VS: You’re on set to make sure that animals used in the entertainment industry are treated humanely, but what exactly does that entail? Do you watch from the sidelines, or are you hands-on?
SB: Well, prior to watching from the sidelines I talk to the animal handlers and production about what the animal action is and how it is to be done, this way we can work out any issues before they roll. Once the
action starts, I watch from the sidelines and document everything that the animals are doing, how they do it, how many times they do it, how many camera angles there are, what the weather is like, how many breaks
they get and much more.

VS: What types of animals have you worked with?
SB: Almost everything including some animals I had never heard of before, like a binturong, very cool!

VS: What was your favorite project and why?
SB: I liked Evan Almighty a lot because of all the different kinds animals, it makes my job very interesting and keeps me busy.

VS: Any good Hollywood gossip for us?
SB: Not that I can share!:)

VS: Have you ever had to intervene and stop a production because of what you saw?
SB: Well, yes I have had to pull animals because they were tired or hot or just had enough, but fortunately not for anything super serious or dangerous, that’s why it’s good to work with production before they roll the cameras so things are worked out in advance and we don’t have to step in.

VS: Are there any creatures that you haven’t liked working with?
SB: I’m not fond of working with alligators, they are so primal and untrainable.

VS: How do productions know what they can and can’t do with animals?
SB: We have a 80 page book of “Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media” that covers everything from ants to elephants and is always being updated. These guidelines are sent to productions in
advance when they contact us to let us know they are using animals. These are the guidelines that all of our on set reps follow.

VS:How long have you been doing this work?
SB: It will be 9 years in November for me, the Film and TV unit has been in action since 1940!

VS: Tell us about your pets …
SB: I have 2 Australian Cattle Dogs and 3 cats, all rescues!

Sandi was being modest when she said she watches from the sidelines … if you look very closely during the swimming event on the Puppy Games this Friday, you might see two sets of bare feet in the background. Yeah, that would be me and Sandy, pants rolled up and ankle-deep in water, “lifeguarding” the pups! Sandi is an amazing rep, and I love working with her!