When you go to the movies – if you stay for the credits – you may have noticed a line that says, “No animals were harmed in the making of this picture.”

It’s issued by the American Humane Association, which places monitors on the sets of many film and TV productions.

While that language may reassure viewers, a recent investigation by The Hollywood Reporter found that animals actually were harmed in some of the films that carried the disclaimer.

Though the American Humane Association frequently touts a 99.98 percent safety rating, the association’s internal critics insist the number has no real statistical grounding. THR reporter Gary Baum joins host Al Letson to discuss his investigation and what moviegoers need to know when they see animals on the big screen.

 

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Jaena Rae Cabrera worked at The Center for Investigative Reporting until February, 2017. Jaena Rae Cabrera is a Web producer for Reveal. Prior to joining Reveal, Cabrera was Web producer for Renaissance Journalism, a San Francisco-based nonprofit specializing in training, technical assistance, consultation and grants to journalists for media innovations that strengthen communities. Cabrera received a master’s degree in library and information science from Syracuse University. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a bachelor's in journalism. Cabrera is based in Reveal's Emeryville, California, office.