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Makers of Show Dogs will recut the movie following uproar over 'child grooming' message

Show Dogs (Credit: Global Road)
Show Dogs (Credit: Global Road)

Global Road, the company behind new family comedy movie Show Dogs, is to recut the film following a furore over a scene in which a dog’s genitals are touched without its consent.

Critics, sexual abuse charities, bloggers and PETA took issue with the scene, which appears to send a message that inappropriate touching is acceptable, and uses the kind of language and suggestion employed by child abusers.

The scene, in which a police dog, voiced by rapper Ludacris, has his genitals inspected during a dog show and is told to ignore it by going to ‘his zen place’, will be gone by the weekend.

“Responding to concerns raised by moviegoers and some specific organizations, Global Road Entertainment has decided to remove two scenes from the film Show Dogs that some have deemed not appropriate for children,” read a statement.


“The company takes these matters very seriously and remains committed to providing quality entertainment for the intended audiences based on the film’s rating.

“We apologize to anybody who feels the original version of Show Dogs sent an inappropriate message. The revised version of the film will be available for viewing nationwide starting this weekend.”

The scene was criticised by, among others, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation in the US yesterday, which said that it sends a troubling message that grooms children for sexual abuse’.

“It contains multiple scenes where a dog character must have its private parts inspected, in the course of which the dog is uncomfortable and wants to stop but is told to go to a ‘zen place,’” the statement went on.

“The dog is rewarded with advancing to the final round of the dog show after passing this barrier. Disturbingly, these are similar tactics child abusers use when grooming children—telling them to pretend they are somewhere else, and that they will get a reward for withstanding their discomfort.”

The movie, which also stars Will Arnett, Stanley Tucci and Alan Cumming, has been mauled by critics, aside from the scene in question, and debuted to $6 million on its opening last weekend.

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