One thing, for me, is choice. My friend teased me after we saw "Up" because I was glad none of the dogs died - she thought the guy was more important. For me, I think the bad guy made his choices and put himself in jeopardy, where the dogs weren't given a vote. (This argument doesn't cover innocent human victims, obvs).

This is me. As I have stated, I cannot abide TV or films where animals are (yes, even fictionally) harmed.

This is me as well, and my mother's even worse. December a couple/few years ago, I was trying to find out whether I should avoid The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, for rape/assault triggers - at the same time my mother was trying to confirm whether she could see War Horse, because she really wanted to but wouldn't if the horse dies.

There is a cultural void here, because I can't put myself in the place where it's always much worse than any person. The world is too big for that, to me.

I don't think it's necessarily cultural, I think it just varies from person to person. My friend in the paragraph above is more like you, then there's me, then my mom, then there's the friend of hers who switched off The Green Mile (which my mom had recommended to her) because apparently something bad happens to a rat in the prison? It's a spectrum!

Human violence in movies is obviously faked (considering I don't watch snuff films). There's something in my head that says violence against animals on a movie set is more likely, despite all the disclaimers.

It's why the movie Toys is so horrible, because the violence against the toys is real, actual violence. It's OK to blow up a stuffed bunny on camera.

I don't think it's necessarily cultural, I think it just varies from person to person

If a Jamaican had made Morgana's post (or brenda's, or sarameg's about kitten poker, or any of the animal empathy a significant number (that I won't argue is the majority) of Buffistas express) my jaw would drop. Literally mouth open as I read the post.

My sister told me that there's an anthropologist she knows coming to Jamaica to study pretty much that--pet vs. animal in Jamaica.

Innocents are put in jeopardy quite often--wives and children are held hostage. But I'd wager an internet dollar there are more posts here akin to "I can't look! The [animal] was in too much danger, I couldn't take it!" than "I *hate* when they threaten kids! It's too much for me!" Maybe one is understood and unremarkable? So common it's exhausting to comment on? I don't know. But for one reason or another, rarely mentioned.

Yeah, I feel worse for innocents getting hurt than willing participants. So, animals and kids, I guess. My empathy doesn't extend far enough that I can't watch, though.

This really makes me wonder about the role of both early learning on this issue.

Americans I know are hardcore trained to cherish, enjoy and protect small animals far earlier in life than we are trained to value each other.

Our responses as adults might be semi-conscious knee-jerks.

There is a line in The Thorn Birds that touches on this topic. I wonder if I can find it.

I suspect there's some throughline here between people's reaction to infants, rather than "innocent human" more broadly. Not just innocence, because innocent bystanders are in jeopardy all the time. Infants and for some, animals, are innocence that comes along with a responsibility to protect.

Re infants I would say that is something hardwired biologically, and I could see animals being much more a cultural thing. And, obviously, IRL there's an extreme difference between the two that doesn't play out the way the TV reaction does.

Less woo-wooey, I think there's a factor of awareness that we are watching actors - their characters may be innocent but the actors signed up for (and are cognizant of) whatever is going on. And even though there are protections for animals on set, I think that plays into it.

Not saying this is at all rational, or particularly well thought out.

For us, they are tools. Some of us really like their tools, but they are tools.

Well, that was the case 25 years ago. American culture, instead of seeping in, is breaking like a wave over our heads. I guess some people might have teacup dogs by now, but I would wager most adults are "Oh, that is a shame" as the upper ceiling of their reaction to the death of an animal (read: dog, guard or pest control).

I think there's a factor of awareness that we are watching actors - their characters may be innocent but the actors signed up for (and are cognizant of) whatever is going on

But these days, the actors are going to have worse conditions (and by worse I certainly don't mean anything non consensual or usually extreme--there are lower paid stunt people for that) than animals. There isn't really an OSHA for actors, but animals are stringently protected in comparison (on set--I can't begin to say how they are trained).

I do wonder how the wolf fight in Bourne Legacy was staged. That was some of the best and most realistic fighting with a wild animal I've seen in a movie, but I couldn't work out how the animal wasn't stressed and the actor/stunt double wasn't in extra danger.

The United States Humane society (which protects animals) had a total budget around 174 million in 2012. [link]

The Children's Defense Fund's budget for 2011-2012 was around 18.4 million. [link]

I would be willing to bet that doing similar comparisons in the UK and Canada would have similar results.