Amazon Prime canceled The Pack after PETA released the show through footage showing dogs hanging from a steep drop and hitting rocks while they were strapped to humans abseiling the cliff.
The Amazing Race-style series, hosted by Olympian Lindsey Vonn and her dog Lucy, featured humans and their dogs competing in challenges described by the animal rights group as ‘dangerous situations’, reported The Wrap.
Videos from the editing room floor, which appear to have been taken from a cell phone, show the puppies hanging between their owners’ legs as they hit the cliff face and shake their paws in a desperate attempt to fight for safety.
The videos, taken from raw footage, were shot at the 108-foot Los Campesinos Falls in Costa Rica for the show’s third episode, The Wrap reported.
The program was launched on Amazon Prime on November 20 and 10 episodes of the program are available for streaming. The leaked footage was not used in the episode.
WARNING: LANGUAGE EXPLICIT
Amazon Prime reportedly canceled its new reality show The Pack after a leaked video showing pets repelling a waterfall with their owners
Images show dogs hitting a cliff in Costa Rica while strapped to harness
PETA said it was ‘thrilled’ that the program was canceled and praised Amazon for making ‘the compassionate decision’
Dog trainers helped teach puppies specific skills needed to compete in show challenges
Amazon put its focus on animal safety in marketing, leading to the launch of the program, including hiring dog trainers who helped create challenges
The Daily Mail contacted Amazon for confirmation and additional information.
Lewis Crary, assistant manager of Pets in PETA’s Film and Television Division, told DailyMail.com that the organization was ‘so moved that Amazon made the compassionate decision to cancel this program’.
“Whenever dogs are used for film and television, they are on the wrong side. On a set, time is money and the animals ‘needs are compromised in the name of ratings,’ said Crary.
“Nothing says 2020 like a reality show swinging dogs over waterfalls and swinging them against rocks. Animals are individuals and are not props and tricks to use on reality shows. ‘
Crary added that the organization was responding to the ‘disturbing images’ in the disgusting videos, but was also concerned about the possibility of other unused content.
The show is hosted by Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn and her dog Lucy
Vonn, 36, won the gold medal in downhill at the 2010 Winter Olympics
“It’s really the unknown of – if this series was comfortable with that scene, then what else we didn’t see and what else Amazon executives knew that forced their command to cancel it,” he said.
‘Being part of a pack means protecting your mate, not tying him to a harness and throwing him helplessly onto a cliff. PETA expects everyone involved to learn from Amazon’s filming and clarity. ‘
Amazon praised its focus on animal safety in marketing, leading to the program’s debut, according to a Variety report.
Dog trainers were hired to teach puppies the specific skills needed to compete and consulted on developing challenges.
“All dogs walk on harnesses or crash-tested carriers, and we don’t just put them on dogs,” said trainer Nicole Ellis.
‘We really broke it: we showed them a harness, [they] have a surprise; showed them a harness, [they] have a surprise. It took several steps before they even used a harness. And that went for goggles, boots, equipment.
Executive producer Jay Bienstock told the establishment that dog safety experts have ‘absolute power’ in place to address concerns.
‘If the dog’s safety said,’ Stop it ‘, we would stop. We gave permission for everything, ‘he said.
Vonn, 36, an alpine ski competitor, won the gold medal in downhill at the 2010 Winter Olympics – the first for an American woman. She announced her retirement from professional skiing in 2019, citing injuries.