Together with PETA, Dinklage addresses a new and disturbing trend among fans of HBO’s popular show.
"Game of Thrones" has some serious, serious, OMG-serious fans. In fact, some are taking their fandom to new, alarming heights. GOT’s enormous popularity has prompted adoring viewers to seek out pet dogs that look like dire wolves (the much-loved and totally fictional animals on the HBO show). This usually means buying or adopting Siberian Huskies and other wolf-like pups.
Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister on the show, has partnered with PETA to ask fans to be more responsible when selecting a pet.
Not only does this hurt all the deserving homeless dogs waiting for a chance at a good home in shelters, but shelters are also reporting that many of these Huskies are being abandoned — as often happens when dogs are bought on impulse, without understanding their needs," Dinklage said Tuesday.
What may not sound like a big deal is actually a very big deal to the many pets who are abandoned or returned to a shelter after the novelty wears off. Animals need loving homes, and impulse adoptions like these are statistically more likely to go bad.
[gallery columns="2" size="large" ids="2736,2738"]Of all the wolf-like dogs that are affected by this new trend, Dinklage notes that Huskies, in particular, are difficult animals to care for. They have very specific exercise and grooming needs that need to be taken into consideration before taking one in as a pet.
Please, please, if you're going to bring a dog into your family, make sure that you're prepared for such a tremendous responsibility, and remember to always, always, adopt from a shelter," Dinklage said.
PETA says this isn’t the first time a show or a movie has made people want to own certain dog breeds. The movies 101 Dalmatians, Legally Blonde, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and Men in Black have had similar effects. Not surprisingly, many of these pets were abandoned or returned to shelters because people didn’t really think it through. A dog is a lifetime responsibility and should be considered family.
PETA advocates for adoption, but only after careful consideration and complete dedication to owning a pet.
Dire wolves are the best … but you can always buy a stuffed animal or a t-shirt if watching the show isn’t enough. Woof!
