MovieChat Forums > Hotel for Dogs (2009) Discussion > Being in REAL animal rescue....

Being in REAL animal rescue....

posted 15 years ago by luvtrav
40 replies | jump to latest

....I can't even count the ways this movie was awful.

I took my son to see it, knowing it would be ridiculous but he is 4 and loves dogs....so to him it was great just to see a bunch of silly dogs do silly things. And I thought hey...maybe it will give SOME reality check into the plight of pet overpopulation and homeless animals.

NO! NO IT DOESN'T!

I have been working in animal rescue for quite some time now, and this movie may be great for small kids that just want to see funny dogs...but other than that...how awful. How STUPID to talk about all these poor homeless dogs, and then show 2 of them "falling in love" and at the end showing their puppies. O great...these people let 2 homeless dogs make MORE homeless dogs! When in the beginning of the movie a comment was made about poor dogs not getting adopted because they aren't puppies. Then at the end they show people falling over themselves to touch these o so cute puppies!

Things like that in this movie...it will make anyone involved in animal rescue blow a blood vessel. Or animal control as well....since in this movie animal control officers are portrayed as the big bad guys who snatch dogs from kids and taunt them about it and live to kill them off.

Ugh, it was all just awful.

So for little kids to laugh at silly dog tricks...its fine. But they will learn NOTHING from this movie. In fact, their little minds may get poisoned on the issue of animal overpopulation from this. Not to mention how its ok to break into places and steal etc etc....just as long as you think you are doing a good thing.

[–] kizzy1 15 years ago

How STUPID to talk about all these poor homeless dogs, and then show 2 of them "falling in love" and at the end showing their puppies. O great...these people let 2 homeless dogs make MORE homeless dogs!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I must admit, while I accepted that this was a movie so not worried too much about the depiction (kids DO have an amazing ability to separate shows from reality) this bit DID get to me. Especially given the current craze for designer crosses.

[–] rob_din 15 years ago

My real question is how an animal lover can work in such a place? They kill dogs for heaven's sake

[–] luvtrav 15 years ago

Are you kidding with that question????

So....animal HATERS should work in those places because they have to kill animals?

Guess what, without people like me working in those places, ALL of those animals would be dead. But they are not, because I work there and work with the dogs and hold adoption events and fundraisers for the medical care that they need, and I run a foster home network for them, and I run a site for the shelter on Petfinder.com so that even more can get adopted....need I go on? Without the animal LOVERS that work there, ignorant people would just be sending dogs in and they would be getting killed. Its me and the people like me that nurse neglected and abused dogs back to health and give them a chance at a new life. We take dogs given up by their owners and give them a chance at a new home instead of just being killed.

And when dogs DO have to be killed, it hurts us to the bone and makes us mad at people that carelessly breed dogs, give up dogs because they didn't realize how much work that cute puppy would be, abuse dogs, etc etc. And it makes us work that much harder to save as many as we can.

That is why dog lovers work in those places that kill dogs...we are not the ones contributing to the problem, we are trying to HELP the problem.

[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

rob_din, use the brain you have. The people that work in the shelters are not the people making the decisions. The shelter workers work for the citizens and it is the citizens that decide what to do. Please put your brain into thinking gear, not criticizing gear.

[–] Loops2112 15 years ago

Chill out - it was a fun film for kids, not a discovery documentary. They're not supposed to be learning anything from it, it was just a cutsey movie with a happy ending - typical disney fare really when you think about it.

If my kids had said to me 'mum, the animal resuce people in this film were awful' I would have made it clear that they were being portrayed as bad guys to make it more exciting, but they didn't say that because they watch enough real life pet rescue programmes to know that the people who work in this kind of job are the exact opposite.

When you think about it, the people who work for the dog pound are nearly always portrayed as bad guys in films - Lady and the Tramp and Benji being just two examples. I suppose it's just one of those things that films (particularly Hollywood films) have a habit of doing.

[–] Irish_Fan 15 years ago

We have to remember this was a movie made to entertain not to inform. It was meant to entertain us, and maybe make us remember how much we love dogs. Each of the dogs at the "Hotel" had weird quirks, and yet they were loved. The point was not to show dog rescue, but rather to show how not matter how quirky or odd one's dog is you love it because it is your friend and it loves you. That was what I took from the movie. Not anything about animal rescue, or puppies, or the complete lack of realism in the plot. It was cute, funny, and made me love my dog, quirky as she is even more.

[–] luvtrav 15 years ago

Almost at the same time that this came out, Disney put out BOLT. Which was an excellent, entertaining movie for children that showed more thought and realism about pets than Hotel for Dogs. And it was a cartoon!!!!

You can say all you want that this movie is made to entertain...not inform. But the fact is that it is a kids movie, which should be informative as well as entertaining. Even if its a subtle and TINY bit informative. Too much garbage out there for kids to watch, parents have to be so careful. And this movie is up there with the garbage that kids will watch.

[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

luvtrav, I know nothing about Bolt but I agree with everything else you say. I wish I could explain to the others what it is that they misunderstand but unfortunately it is futile to try but at least I can say I agree with you.

[–] taffyrose123 15 years ago

You're being way too harsh .. This movie was for entertainment and I loved it . You work where you kill dogs yet have issues with this film ..
It is not advocating anything but loving dogs and taking care of them and that is all good !!

Becca

[–] Exorcist666 15 years ago

This movie was crap and does a dis-service to the public.
People who care about animals, or have thought processes beyond the abilities
of a dimwitted child, see right through this.
3.7 stars on imdb. That's appallingly low.

[–] taffyrose123 15 years ago

In accordance to you this was crap but not to alot of people who did enjoy it for what it was - family entertainment !
And the ratings on IMBD mean absolutely nothing since no one I know even does it and could care less about the whole thing ..

Becca

[–] JakeDarko 15 years ago

If you want to train your family to not think, this movie is perfect family entertainment.

"To be possessed of a vigorous mind is not enough; the prime requisite is to apply it."

[–] eggcentric55 13 years ago

I beg to differ. I have a college degree and no children. I loved this movie. Kids movies, especially ones with animals, are great. It isn't art. It isn't meant to be reality. It isn't a documentary. It is about loving and saving animals because they are worth it. It is also about loving families even if you aren't related. I have worked and volunteered in the animal field,as well as having my own animals for the past 21 years. I do NOT think this movie did any sort of disservice to the public.

If a child is too young to understand parts of a movie, then it is the parents responsiblity to explain it to them.

I love the fact that the animals aren't talking with fake mouths. I detest that.

Sure they too creative license with the kid that created all these contraptions, but who cares? It was creative and fun.

[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

Shelter workers are not the ones that decide the animals must go. The decisions are made (indirectly) by the citizens.

[–] animegovie 15 years ago

Yes, I would have to say that after watching this movie it was a rather blatant oversimplification of animal overpopulation and abandonment. On the other hand how much can you really expect from a movie aimed at the younger set. Although I was a little disturbed to see the "nursery" at the end being a little too like all the pet stores you see. I am very much a supporter of adopting from a shelter so that a dog gets a second chance.

As to the people saying negative things about people who work at shelters, that is very dissapointing to hear that. Many people still believe the stereotype the animal shelters just heartless kill all the animals off in a few days. In most places that is no longer true. There are many no kill shelters that work very hard to place the animals in loving homes. It is very thoughtless to claim that people who work in shelters are "animal haters". How else do you propose to deal with animal overpopulation and abuse? I volunteer at our local shelter and all the people who work there care very much about the animals. I wish people would actually find out what shelters are like now instead of just assuming they fit the hollywood stereotype of scary dungeon-like cages and creepy, stupid people running it.

Ok, now I will get off my soap box.

Oh, by the way if you really care about animals, instead of arguing about a movie on a message board perhaps you could donate your time to help abandoned animals.

[–] hubble-hallow 15 years ago

Every stray animal not claimed within 2 days should be put down. They are filthy and expensive and spread disease.

[–] remifontainemoi 14 years ago

I agree that this kind of fairy tale movie sends the wrong message to kids. In real life, abandonned dogs are sent into gas chambers by the thousands, yet in this movie the dogs have fun in a hotel. In real life abandonned dogs suffer a lot.

[–] eggcentric55 13 years ago

Why can't you see it as a fantasy or as wishful thinking? Geesh. What is wrong with people.

People say kids movies are so predictable or 'chick' flicks are so predictable. Yet 'guy'movies are the most predicable of all. You have guys, hot girls with little clothing, car crashes, rude language and that is about it.There is nothing worthwhile in the majority of 'guy' movies.

[–] MsGAPeach 13 years ago

Loved this movie. Wish I had some of those gadgets for my dogs (and cats). Would love for them to sit down at dinner and not try to swat the food off my plate (cats). lol Glad it wasn't sad and no animal died. Can' watch those.

[–] Sam-953-169285 8 years ago

I sure don't know what is wrong with people that don't see the problem.

[–] Sally_Hardesty 14 years ago

None of the puppies appeared to be from the two dogs "in love".

There were a few different breeds of puppies... You assume they were breeding dogs; I assume they were abandoned litters that were taken in for adoption.

I'm guessing where my cup is usually half full yours is always half empty. If this movie inspired one person to adopt from a shelter it did it's job.