Date
November 20, 2000
Contact
Bill Dyer
IDA
310-301-7730
In Defense of Animals
131 Camino Alto
Mill Valley
CA 94941
IDA is an international, California-based animal advocacy organization dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by defending their rights, welfare and habitats.
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Animal Activists Protest Release of Disney's "102 Dalmatians" Citing Certain Death for Thousands of Dogs
LOS ANGELES - To draw attention to the certain death of thousands of Dalmatians, members of In Defense of Animals (IDA), animal activists and concerned citizens will be protesting the opening day of Disney's "102 Dalmatians" Wednesday, November 22, starting at 4:00pm, at the El Capitan Theater, 6838 Hollywood Blvd. (at Highland) in Los Angeles. Disney has refused to fulfill pleas to act responsibly by running a corresponding educational effort with the film.
Immediately following the release of "101 Dalmatians" in 1996, shelters across the country reported a 15-762 percent increase in the number of abandoned Dalmatians, thousands of whom were destroyed due to a lack of homes. Despite meeting with various animal protection advocates and organizations, Disney officials have clearly shown no remorse or concern over the thousands of Dalmatians who will be bred solely to capitalize on the film's success. Disney has repeatedly rebuffed suggestions such as having an educational campaign concurrent to the movie, or including something as minor as running an on-screen advisory about the Dalmatian over-population problems.
"Disney's remake of '101 Dalmatians' was directly responsible for the breeding and subsequent deaths of thousands upon thousands of innocent Dalmatians," said IDA's field representative Bill Dyer. "It is astounding that with all of the fortune Disney has earned from using animals - starting way back in 1928 with Mickey Mouse - that they would not do something to help avoid the certain death of thousands more Dalmatians."
"Disney is pocketing millions off of the Dalmatian films through ticket sales, videos and the over 17,600 items that they licensed after the release of the first movie," said Dyer. "Their debt to the animals is long overdue. Disney must recognize that the thousands of Dalmatians who will be bred as a result of the movie are not merely things and commodities; they are individuals with needs and interests of their own who should be treated as such. Even the Los Angeles Times called the movie 'Another shot in the arm for Dalmatian breeders everywhere.'"