Registering a Production

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  Help Us Continue Our Mission

  
  

  Donate Today.

  
  

  American Humane Association has sole authority, through a contract with the Screen Actors Guild, to protect animals used in the film and television industries. Please help us be there to apply our high standards for the treatment of animals on set, ensuring that "No Animals Were Harmed."®
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  The Historic Legacy of the

  
  

  Film and Television Unit.

  
  

  American Humane Association’s Film & TV Unit is the leader in the protection of animal actors. With established Guidelines, on-set monitoring, movie ratings and reviews, and stories from the set, the Film & TV Unit is the only animal welfare organization with oversight sanctioned by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). American Humane Association assumes the monumental undertaking of providing protection for animal actors and keeps the public informed.
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  Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media -

  
  

  Protecting Animal Actors

  
  

  Since the introduction of the Guidelines, animal accidents, illnesses and deaths on set have sharply declined. Prior to 1980, American Humane Association listed 107 films as Unacceptable because of deliberate neglect or malice toward animals. From 1980 to 1988, when our Guidelines debuted, 31 films were found Unacceptable. Since 1988, only 16 films have received that ignoble distinction.
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Working With Us

American Humane Association’s services are FREE of charge for SAG and AFTRA domestic productions filmed in the United States.
International Filming: To register an international production.

Register Your Production and Work With Us
The following steps outline how to earn the American Humane Association’s End Credit Disclaimer “No Animals Were Harmed”®. Certified Animal Safety Representatives™ oversee animal action on the set, enforcing American Humane Association’s Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media and intervening on behalf of animal actors when necessary. Following these steps does not guarantee your production will receive American Humane Association’s End Credit Certification or sign-off letter. However, not following these steps may jeopardize your production’s chances of achieving this important status.

Remember, American Humane Association’s services are free for SAG and AFTRA domestic productions filming in the United States. However, American Humane Association asks that all productions (including non-union and international productions) that use animals register with American Humane Association before shooting.

1. Notify American Humane Association’s Film & TV Unit before filming begins
Call American Humane Association at (818) 501-0123 if your production is using ANY animals. Remember, American Humane Association’s Guidelines protect all animals whether they are supplied by a professional trainer, historic re-enactor, props department, extra, or crew member. When leaving a message, state your name, the production title, and a phone number.

2. Complete your production information
Complete the Production Information Form. You can fill out the Production Information form and email the completed form to filmunit@americanhumane.org or print and fax the completed form to American Humane Association at (818) 762-0908. If you cannot access or print the online form, contact American Humane Association to have a form emailed or faxed to you.”

3. Send materials to American Humane Association
Required materials are:

• Full scripts
• Crew lists
• Full shooting schedules
• One-line schedules/shot lists
• Storyboards (for commercials, music videos, and still shoots)
• Animal/Livestock Day-out-of-Days (if your production uses them)

Don’t forget to send revisions!

4. Keep American Humane Association in the loop during production
Keep American Humane Association in the loop during productionTo keep American Humane Association in the loop, simply include American Humane Association on the production’s daily call sheet email distribution list or fax batch.

5. Read and distribute the Guidelines
Download, read, print, and distribute the Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media to all cast and crew members who are involved in scenes with animals, including prop masters, explosive experts, and stunt coordinators. Call American Humane Association at (818) 501-0123 with any questions or concerns and to discuss the animal action. These Guidelines are a valuable tool; however, only an American Humane Association Animal Safety Representative present on the set can properly enforce the Guidelines and ensure that production is in compliance.
Safety of animal actors = safety for everyone on set.

6. Obtain all permits and waivers
Ensure that all the animals working in your production have all necessary federal, state, and local permits as well as any other licenses that may be required by law. If you will be using animals NOT supplied by a USDA-certified animal supplier (e.g., an animal belonging to a background extra, cast or crew member), download instructions on how to obtain a USDA Exhibitor’s License Waiver.

7. See it through
If you are producing a film or television program, once you have a locked picture, call American Humane Association to verify that your production is eligible for the End Credit Disclaimer and to arrange a screening. If you are producing a commercial/promo or other media, call American Humane Association to see if your production qualifies for a sign-off letter.