I could not believe when I saw this and actually emailed you guys. We need to really get the word out to this producer. Abuse of dogs and elephants in one show! Very sad.

Posted by: Michelle | August 28, 2008 02:28 PM

The Greastest American Dog show needs to be removed from TV. How can anyone knowingly put an animal in danger? And why for TV entertainment. I say we boycott TGADS.

Posted by: Diane | August 28, 2008 03:09 PM

I still watch this show but am angry at the elephant stunt. They are my favorite animal. AND that girl who abused her dog with the snarl band is STILL ON! She may even win since there are only 4 people left. Another stunt you guys will just love was when the competition was for the dog to jump off a platform on a zip line to their owners who slid down before them and encouraged their dogs to jump off to get to them and Teresa's dog Leroy and two other dogs completed the stunt. Two other dogs didn't jump. So of course they sent home the man whose dog didn't jump. I am surprised at Victoria Stilwell who is on Animal Planet's It's Me Or the Dog that she wouldn't see the cruelty in this. She did chastise one of the owners by saying that her dog was pacing back and forth and didn't jump and told her that the dog was getting stressed. What about all the other dogs who must have been stressed by actually jumping to their owners? I will stop watching the show now due to the elephant stunt and the cruel stunts they make the dogs do. I dont even know what the grand prize is for whoever wins except the title Greatest American Dog.

Posted by: Rex's Mom | August 28, 2008 04:11 PM

I am so mad at MYTHBUSTERS Television Show !! Can we figure something out to stop their animal abusing ways ?! I watched it once and they shot at fish in a barrel to prove a myth !! They use dead pigs to shoot at ! To hit ! To throw ! Just to prove a myth !! You guys have to help me do something about that show too !! TRY TO BUST THIS MYTH MYTHBUSTERS: ANIMAL CRUELTY SUCKS!!!!!
Go Team Peta !!

Posted by: Amanda | August 28, 2008 05:38 PM

We saw both episodes. Love dogs and the idea but what is wrong with the producers with these horrific ideas??? Saw the gal with Leroy and what she did to him for the "photo shoot" to make him "angry". Someone should have been called on the carpet for consequences to animal abuse. When we saw the "elephant episode" last night -- we could not believe that a show promoting the supposed love for animals could include two horrible and disgusting things 1) a trained elephant approaching the dogs and 2) thinking that a dog would actually just sit in the circle with an elephant charging to get the banana??? Sick. I don't know. Beginning to wonder seriously at who is behind this show. Very disturbing and disgusting tactics for these beautiful and wonderful dogs. If it were any of our three dogs I would have told the show -- "you're sick and my dog and I are out"... It's not about the animals it's about the show making money; what else??? Thanks PETA for bringing this to everyone's attention. But how does the general public find out? Keep up the great work!!!

Posted by: Marsha F. | August 28, 2008 05:49 PM

DID YA REALLY THINK THAT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA? OR DID YA EVEN THINK AT ALL???????

Posted by: MARSHA GILBERT | August 28, 2008 05:56 PM

Cruelty all around. I don't like Animal Planet and its constant flip-flop between activism and cruelty promotion. There's a reason I watch shows like Criss Angel (but I sent a comment to him to the effect of chastising him about wearing fur, he hasn't done it since) and other "people" shows. I don't want to risk the possibility of supporting CRA by watching some animal show.

Posted by: kat | August 28, 2008 07:11 PM

I have emailed this creep to let him know what I think of his pathetic show. Hopefully, it will be taken off air very soon. Good on you PETA for bringing it to our attention.

Posted by: Deborah Kemp | August 29, 2008 01:59 AM

I have emailed this producer and told him that he just lost at least one viewer because I planned on telling everyone I knew about the cruelty they were broadcasting as "entertainment" as an antic to capture viewers!

Bad dog (producer)!

Posted by: Nicole Plumlee | August 29, 2008 08:34 AM

This stuff that people think is entertainment really angers me ! I mean there are some people who are animal lovers out there who may look at this show and say its not that bad (as i've heard) BUT to me these animals have just as many feelings as humans do, and if one young boy or girl sees this show and thinks its funny, may be persuaded that teasing and harsh behavior towards animals is okay or may overlook an animal being abused. If this happens THEN THE SHOW has further pushed animal rights movements back. we need to get rid of any show like this ASAP.

Posted by: jenna | August 29, 2008 11:37 AM

That is just so disgusting.
Why do people continue to torture animals, in this day and age.
Its so typical of stupid heartless people to do something like that but as i always say, What goes around, comes around!!

Posted by: Lizzie D | August 29, 2008 05:09 PM

Okay, everyone understands that using an elephant wasn't the best choice. I agree completely that the whole episode was inappropriate and pointless, and the producers are to blame for this not the contestants. These dog owners have put their time and efforts into making it onto a show they thought was going to showcase their dogs' talents and I don't blame them for not giving up and not performing these tasks. Give them a break! I want to know why the Humane Society wasn't hired by the show 24/7 to oversee what was going on! Leave Teresa and Leroy alone- they are still on the show b/c they have one of the strongest bonds, which was proven when Leroy faced his fears and jumped off the tower to get to Teresa. My top worst offenders: Brandy who's dog Beacon got so overworked and stressed that she shut down and wouldn't respond to her (again could be due to long work schedule set by producers); Beth Joy who forced her dog Bella Starlet to do something that made her cry in pain; JD who's dog Galaxy is 9 and has arthritis and yet he pushes her until she can't move from stiffness. Please, you all need to get a clue. It is called editing and they have picked who they want to be the heroes and who they want to be the villain. If you haven't read the post by PETA member Lynda Van Kuren on the last letter "Most Horrid Human on Greatest American Dog" you should- great incite, especially b/c she knows Teresa and the real person she is not the one the producers have made up.

Posted by: Sara | August 29, 2008 09:25 PM

Wow I have never seen the show. AND I Never Will. How can people even think about watching it?? The producer should be treated like he/she treats the animals. Thats what I think. He/She is a SICK individual.

Posted by: Becky | August 30, 2008 12:22 PM

Ok.
I like this show.
And, unless proof from this show is shown about abuse, I will continue to watch.
And yes, I hate the fact that the girl put those bands on her dog, but at least she won't win the show, that I am certain of.
There is no proof that they tortured the elephant used in the episode. I can see getting angry, but again, no proof!
I love PETA, but sometimes situations get to far out of control, and then it get's stupid. The show again is fine, no torture is done in the shpow, and do you see the judges they use? They wouldn't do any of that stuff unless otherwise told by the judges. Do you think they would have dogs get hurt on purpose? The trainers say they love their dogs and would leave because of them. The show is not bad unless proof is given. That linked proof, I have no idea if that was from something else because you didn't say if it was from the show, or something else. It just seems your trying to make the show seem back. That's what I think. So, if I was you, I would watch out.

Posted by: PRIVATE | August 30, 2008 06:54 PM

Those people are sick!
I'm never watching that show! We really need to get rid of this show!

Posted by: Ashley | August 30, 2008 09:50 PM

I am sitting here on my couch with my 7 cats around. Knowing their different personalities and ability to feel physical and mental pain is so obvious. The way that people can treat animals in this way is beyond disturbing. If it was children human beings that they were doing this to, they would be in jail! To me this is the same thing as racial discrimination, we have been successful at crushing that, and continuing to work on it. We need to be the MLK jr's of this generation. We need to stop animals being treated in disgusting ways just because they can look and act different than us. The anger I feel toward these heartless human beings is overwhelming!

Posted by: Leah | August 31, 2008 01:47 AM

What a disgusting show. I'm glad I never watched it.

Posted by: Dawn W. | August 31, 2008 11:06 AM

I used to like that show, until I realized how horrible humans could actually be. It saddends me to read and/or watch any type of cruelty to animals. Unfortunitly, there is no way to stop it. Protesting won't work because there will always be people out there with a bad sense of morality.

Posted by: Katie Chapin | August 31, 2008 11:32 PM

Animals are an integral part of our enviornment. We as human beings (supposedly the most celebral species) are supposed to protect and nurture them. At times I am shocked beyong belief as to how much of a rhino hyde we human beings have. Animals give us so much unconditional love. I am very pained to see any animal being killed for our selfish interests. We all need to do a reality check and put ourslves in their place. Mahatma Gandhi once said that a true measure of a society is how it treats its animals. By this yardstick, there is so much of social decay happening around us.

Posted by: Ramya | September 1, 2008 02:29 AM

This goes out to "PRIVATE"...
Did someone just fart?
Reading your post gave me a headache!
I do not watch this show and even more so will not be tuning in after reading about what has been going on.

Posted by: susan | September 1, 2008 08:37 AM

Amanda, those were bad, but the Mythbusters episode trying to cut the pig in two with a cable was the worst, ick.

Posted by: Terri | September 30, 2008 03:34 PM

Amanda - Mythbusters must understand the error of their ways! I have seen some of their shows where I have been very hurt by the way that they are treating animals. What are they thinking? I also thought it was very gross how they put the hats on them, were they trying to ignore the animal they were abusing? PETA should form a petition we can send them.

Posted by: Amy Rose | November 11, 2008 06:48 PM

One of the recent PETA blogs discussed Karma well how about the newest international karma called the international economy crisis. Human greed has hit an all time high. It seems there's noting people wont do to make a buck what's just as disturbing or more so is the millions upon millions of people who create the demand therefor the supply is created. Everyone should write letters to the producer and networks to get shows like this off the air, get petitions signed to educate viewers to stop watching after all low ratings are what get shows canceled

Posted by: jodi | December 29, 2008 01:07 PM

Anyone who calls themselves an animal lover would never subject their animals to this type of s--t

The only entertainment I subject my cats to is playing with them the way they love. Attcking the strings on my clothings, play fighting where they think its funny to attack my hands (i have a lil tabby who loves to nibble fingers) we even play a cats version of hide and seek. Plus one of my cats likes to watch TV with me

Posted by: jodi | December 29, 2008 01:22 PM