Animals used in film and television production face welfare risks from training methods, performance conditions, and transport. Independent monitoring and welfare standards vary significantly by country.
Animal welfare in film production has improved substantially since early Hollywood, when animal deaths were routine and unpunished, but significant gaps remain. The AHA certification system, while imperfect, has established a culture of on-set welfare monitoring in US productions. The problem is that the system applies only where it is invited, and productions that anticipate welfare concerns may choose international locations with less oversight. The welfare case for complete elimination of live exotic animal use in film — achievable through CGI, robotics, and trained domestic animals — is strong, and the technology to achieve it is available. Continued consumer demand for authenticity over welfare should not drive the industry backward on standards that took decades to establish.