New Reality(?) Show on Animal Planet GRRR!

[QueenScoopalot]

I copied and pasted the email I got here (I'm not the author) but think this idea is insane!

Animal Planet is 'casting' for a new 'reality' show called "Who Gets the
Dog?".

Basically they pull a dog out of a shelter, shuffle it around for 3 days
with 3 different families (24 hours each), and then somehow the dog is
supposed to "pick" which family it wants to live with. The only
safeguard it offers the dog is that "You must not have been CONVICTED
(my caps) of (a) any crime that includes cruelty to animals, or (b) any
felony under any jurisdiction in the United States or any other Country.
And "You must be ready, willing and able to adopt and care for the dog
involved in the production of the series."

Here is the website:
http://www.lmnotv.com/whogetsthedog/

If you think that this is not the best thing to put a dog through for
the sake of 'entertainment', please send a comment to them to let them
know what a stupid idea this is and how inhumane it is to put a dog
(particularly a shelter dog with who knows what having happened to end
him up in a shelter in the first place) through this kind of stress and
confusion. Can you imagine the health and behavior problems something
like this could cause the "lucky dog", as they say on their website. I
wonder if they would do this to a four year old foster child. And we all
know that it's not likely to be dog savvy people who would do this. What
happens to the dog after the show and the novelty has worn off with the
family "required" to adopt the dog? And not being "convicted" of an
animal crime is little reassurance since most animal abusers are never
caught, much less convicted.

Here is the form where you can let your feelings be known about this to
Animal Planet at:
http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations

[wolflady]

I agree, I don't think this is a very good idea. People will apply for this only to be on TV, and that's not necessarily going to yield a very good home for any dog. What is the fascination with all of this annoying reality TV crap that's all over the place these days? They're really aching for ideas it seems...

Poor dog...I sent in my opinion of this idea...

[aly]

It definately sounded terrible to me at first. But the more I think about it, I don't really have too much of a problem with it.

For one, I think Animal Planet will do good finding nice homes for the "competition". I imagine all of the families babying the dogs and treating them like children. It would be cute to watch that. I doubt they'd pick anyone who is a questionable pet owner or they'd be in a world of trouble and they know that.

I don't think the rotation will confuse the dog since it is just 3 days. Its much better for the dog to be out of the shelter. We do foster rotations at my shelter constantly where we take long term dogs or dogs with behavioral problems and rotate them through several foster homes. They don't stay at any foster home longer than a week so they won't get too attached or confused. This has helped us immensely with solving so many behavioral issues. And it gives the dogs a wonderful break from the shelter. If on this show, the dog stayed at each house for a lengthy amount of time, then it would be not so good. But 1 day is not nearly long enough to cause problems.

And the best thing about the show is that it is advocating adopting from shelters! A shelter dog will find a home out of it!!! I can't complain about that. It could be worse.

[wolflady]

Originally posted by aly
...
And the best thing about the show is that it is advocating adopting from shelters! A shelter dog will find a home out of it!!! I can't complain about that. It could be worse.

That's true, I hadn't thought about it this way. I just hope the people they pick are genuine.

[leslie flenner]

I clicked on the website but then i had to register. I tried to skip that and clicked on AP but then it was unclear where to go. Does one HAVE to register and then it's clear where to go? Can you please clarify? not everyone is registered ya know!

[Toller 42]

I think that is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard! at least they're advertising to get a dog from a shelter, but I don't like that the dog has to get to know more than 1 family.

[wolfie]

it sounds like an okay idea to me - they're promoting adopting a shelter dog, and showing what a good home should be.

[leslie flenner]

It truly depends on what dogs they chose to put through the ordeal. A puppy who is flexible with change is one thing. A puppy or dog that has been traumatized, sitting in the shelter a long time, may be exposed to viruses at the homes, outside, I oppose extremely. And letting the dog choose? PLEASE!! there is no way they can pull that off! It's a DOG! Hello! I don't know how they plan to have the dog choose but this could end up being not in the dogs best interest... they are taking a risk..!

[G.P.girl]

Originally posted by aly
It definately sounded terrible to me at first. But the more I think about it, I don't really have too much of a problem with it.

For one, I think Animal Planet will do good finding nice homes for the "competition". I imagine all of the families babying the dogs and treating them like children. It would be cute to watch that. I doubt they'd pick anyone who is a questionable pet owner or they'd be in a world of trouble and they know that.

I don't think the rotation will confuse the dog since it is just 3 days. Its much better for the dog to be out of the shelter.
And the best thing about the show is that it is advocating adopting from shelters! A shelter dog will find a home out of it!!! I can't complain about that. It could be worse.

i agree with you! i think it's good that they are adopting dogs from shelters, not purebred breeder/puppy mills dogs. also, i think animal planet really wants the best for the dogs and they'll pick good homes for them.

[Toller 42]

I just read it again and thought maybe it isn't a bad idea, but it still isn't great i'd rather go find a dog by myself. i don't need to be on T.V to get a dog.

[Tonya]

What a stupid idea! Some wierdos will adopt a dog just to be able to be on a TV show.

[moosmom]

I am SOOOOOOOOOO sick of these damn reality shows. The networks have gone into OVERSKILL with them. To shuffle a dog or ANY animal around for that matter for 3 weeks and then expect him to choose which family he wants to go with to me is abuse, sorry. How do they know that these families are right for the animal??? Or vice versa??

They've got another show on where 2 families switch parents. Dumb, REAL dumb. Then there's "Will You Marry My Dad" Yeah, like I'm gonna marry a guy after 3 weeks. Haven't they learned from the very first reality show, "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire" that they are just plain stupid, exploitive and are probably (and HOPEFULLY) a flash in the pan.

[leslie flenner]

that the shelters might say NO! but apperently not? Can't find any info cuz i don't want to register!

[aly]

I am sure the shelters that say yes will be involved in which potential homes their dog will visit. Animal Planet has to do this in a responsible way, or they'd have waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many animal lovers on their back.

And as for the creeps that just want to be on TV, I'm sure you can see right through them and they won't make it to the show anyway.

Its definately not the ideal way to look for a dog, but as I said before, it could be much worse.

[QueenScoopalot]

The only good thing I can see in this is it won't last! It's almost exactly like animals that make the news for some horrible reason for example "Scarlett" the cat who rescued her kittens from fire and suffered awfully. People have this insane desire to own an animal that's "famous" in some way so all their buddies can go WOW!Scarlett and her kittens all got great homes, but where the heck are these same people, as animals get killed every day by the hundreds of thousands? I'm guessing things will go awry real fast in this show. Maybe that nice calm shelter dog will get annoyed and bite the camera operater or worse, one of the kids.