Frequently Asked Questions
I have a movie that calls for a bald eagle, but I was told I cannot use North American species of birds. Why is that?
Due in part to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, no venture for profit (i.e. commercial, television show, movie, print ad, etc.) can use any bird native to North America. In fact, it is illegal to even possess these birds without proper licenses and/or permits (which are almost impossible to acquire). For this reason, we have many birds from all over the world that resemble our North American species. We also have birds that are similar and can be safely colored to look almost identical to many of our native species. These birds are part of our incredibly diverse collection of trained birds that we offer for hire.
What is an “animal team”?
A trained animal team typically consists of one hero animal with one or more identical backup animals. Animal teams are often hired to portray one lead animal character , and each nearly identical member of the team may perform different trained behaviors, that particular animal on the team performs best. For instance, in a typical trained cat team, you will have a trained “stay cat” (one that is trained to lay/sit on a mark and stay), a trained “A-B cat” (a cat that is trained to walk/run/move from one mark to another), and an “in arms cat” (one that can be calmly be held by talent). And many of those animals may be trained to perform many behaviors in addition to what they specialize in. A trained A-B cat will usually excel at jumping actions. A cat trained to rub items or people on cue may also excel at pawing or digging. In a team of trained birds- there will usually be trained flying birds, perching birds and birds that enjoy being held.
Fun fact- there were NINE dogs that portrayed Lassie! And although Lassie was a female character-all the dogs that portrayed her were males!
Where do you get your animals from?
Many of our dogs and cats have been rescued from shelters. In addition, we have many wonderful dogs that have come from responsible and respected breeders. We do also have many animals that are privately owned, and have a unique look or ability that may be desirable for production.
Most of our wildlife and exotic animals come from breeders and zoos across the U.S. However, on occasion we have been asked to accept orphaned wildlife that cannot be rehabilitated to be released. These animals are typically bottle raised to ensure imprinting. This aids in the training and socialization process and helps to ensure our animal actors have a more secure and happy life.
Is my pet a candidate to be an animal actor?
If your animal has extensive training, is located in Southern California, outgoing, friendly, and has either a unique look or knows an unusual trick, then you can always email us and ask. Generally though, the answer is “no” due to the tremendous amount of training we put in on all of our working animals before they go on a paid job; in order to ensure competent working animals for our clients.
I have a script that requires a bear, dog, lion/etc. to attack talent. Is this possible?
We have many different types of trained exotic/domestic animals that can do “hits” on talent. We also have SAG/AFTRA trainers that can double as talent for the more dangerous encounters. Actor and animal safety are our top priorities.
I need a trainer to double as an actor. Can you help us?
Absolutely! We have trainers that are male/female, short/tall, thin/heavy, etc. Just let us know what you need, and we can typically submit many candidates