Meet Jamie Lee Curtis Safety for the Stars · Animal training tips Trainers often give special cues to an animal. For example, the trainer might carry a little clicker. When the animal

© 2008 Universal Press Syndicate

release dates: October 4-10 40-1 (08)

from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate

BETTY DEBNAM – Founding Editor and Editor at Large

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Have you ever wondered how animalsknow what to do in movies or TV shows?How does a dog know to run after thebad guy or comfort the little kid? Howdoes the cat know just when to pounce?

Movie star animals have specialtrainers who teach them how to act inshows. They also have special protectorswho make sure they are not hurt whileacting. The Mini Page talked to a trainerand a safety expert to learn about whatlife is like for animal actors.From shelters to stardom

Animal trainers search for just theright animals for movies, TV shows,commercials and plays. Sometimestrainers buy the animals.

But usually they rescue the animalsfrom a shelter. Experts say more than 80percent of the dogs and cats used inmovies come from shelters.

Gaining a good homeWhen the filming is over, good homes

are found for all animals that need one.The trainers may keep the animals. Castand crew members may have grown tolove an animal, and they take it homeafter the show is over.

Some movie star animals that were inshelters before they were discovered andrescued by animal trainers include:

• “Fang” from the Harry Potter movies• “Max” from “How the Grinch Stole

Christmas”• “Benji” from “Benji”• the cats playing Morris in the cat

food commercials, plus other cats in ads• “Lucky” from the Dr. Dolittle movies• “Happy” from “7th Heaven”

Star qualityTrainers look for animals

that:• have a special “star-

quality” look that will showup well on the screen;

• are comfortable withthe camera;

• have outgoingpersonalities;

• are good with people.Training human actors

Human actors need to be trained towork with animals too. Actors and crewneed to learn how to handle animals sothey aren’t hurt.

Actors usually don’t have to giveanimals their cues, or signals, aboutwhat to do next. The animals get theircues from their trainers, who stay behindthe scenes, directing the animals.

Training and Protecting Animal Actors

Animal Stars Shine©

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Papi (left), Chloe and Delgado search for away home in the Disney movie “Beverly HillsChihuahua.” The dog playing Papi wasrescued from a shelter. He now has a homeon his trainer’s ranch.

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The trainer on the left holds out a treat tointerest Chihuahua puppies in “Beverly HillsChihuahua.” The other trainer is putting thepuppies in their spots for filming. Trainers holdout treats to get animals to look in a certaindirection.

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Gary Gero, founder of the animal trainingcompany Birds & Animals Unlimited, teachesa dog to “speak.” Many animal trainingcompanies give homes to movie star animals.This company has about 100 animals,including squirrels and monkeys.

Mini Spy . . .from The Mini Page © 2008 Universal Press Syndicate

Mini Spy and her friends are watching dolphins trainingwith a diver. See if you can find: • man in the moon • letter L

• strawberry• teapot • tooth• kite • canoe• mushroom• sea horse• word MINI• ice-cream bar• letter A• ladder• question mark• number 3• umbrella


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Watching out for animal safetyPeople with the American Humane

Association (AHA) work on the sets ofmovies, TV shows and commercials tomake sure that animals are safe. Noone wants the animals to be hurt, andmost directors and actors welcometrained people to watch out for theanimals.

You may have seen the AmericanHumane Association’s passing gradeduring the credits at the end of movies.When you see the words “No AnimalsWere Harmed,” you know that noanimals were hurt in making the movie,even though it may have looked as ifthey were.

Directors use different movie tricks tomake it appear as if animals were hurt.For example, in a battle scene, horsesmay betrained to falldown oncommand.They aretrained to dothis withouthurtingthemselves.

HistoryThe American Humane Association

began checking on abuses of animalactors in 1925. Horses were often hurtin the making of early Western movies.

In 1939, while filming the movie“Jesse James,” a horse and rider fellover a cliff. The stuntman survived, butthe horse did not.

People were so angry overthis that more moviedirectors started asking theAHA to come onto moviesets to look out for theanimals’ safety.

Safety for the Stars

Safety checksThe American Humane Association

checks to be sure thatanimals:

• have been trained fortheir scenes before filming;

• have been preparedfor the sounds, sights,people and other animals in the scene;

• are wearing safe, comfortablecostumes or props;

• have safe, painless trainingequipment such as collars and leashes.

The association also checks props andcostumes before filming begins.

Words that remind us of movie animal trainers are hidden in the blockbelow. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally. See if you canfind: STAR, TREAT, DOG, BIRD, SQUIRREL, SAFE, HUMANE, TRICK,CHIHUAHUA, ACTOR, ICE, SET, ACT, FILMING, COSTUME, PROP,TELEVISION, COMMERCIALS, RESCUE, DIRECTOR, CARE,CAMERA.

Animal Trainers TRY ’NFIND

HEY, I COULDBE A STAR,

TOO!

S B I K W R P G N I M L I F HT A I C K E R K V R O T C A UR S F R E S O L A R E M A C ME D T E D C P E M U T S O C AA V O A K U R O T C E R I D NT M L G R E L E R R I U Q S EE R A C N O I S I V E L E T ST C A S L A I C R E M M O C EK C I R T A U H A U H I H C T


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Animal trainers walk dogsthrough a scene in “BeverlyHills Chihuahua.” Standingagainst the wall is anAmerican HumaneAssociation representative,making sure all the dogsare safe. In the movie,viewers see these dogswalking over the characterof Rafferty.

Rookie Cookie’s RecipeCucumber Snacks



Meet Jamie Lee CurtisJamie Lee Curtis stars as Aunt Viv in the

movie “Beverly Hills Chihuahua.” She hasstarred in many movies, including “FreakyFriday.”

She was the voice of Queen Camilla in“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & theIsland of Misfit Toys.” She has also appearedin TV shows, including “Sesame Street.”

Jamie has written several books for kids,including “Is There Really a Human Race?” and “Today I Feel Sillyand Other Moods That Make My Day.” She was nominated for aGrammy Award in 2003 for the recording of her books for kids.

Jamie, 49, was born in Los Angeles. She is the daughter of twomovie actors, Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis. She has adopted twochildren.

You’ll need:• 1 large cucumber• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese• 2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise• 1/4 cup light sour cream• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese• 1/2 teaspoon dill weedWhat to do:1. Wash and peel cucumber; cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

(approximately 15 rounds).2. Place all other ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.3. Top cucumber rounds with evenly divided cheesy mixture.4. Chill for 30 minutes.*You will need an adult’s help with this recipe.


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All the following jokes have something in common.Can you guess the common theme or category?

Tammy: What animal has a bill but is not a bird?Terry: A ger-bill!

Tilly: My fish don’t like getting caught inthe net.

Tori: Then don’t let them goonline!

Tim: What’s a cat’s favorite color?Tom: Purrrple!


Animal training tipsTrainers often give special cues to an

animal. For example, the trainer mightcarry a little clicker. When the animalgets a treat, the trainer makes a click.After a while, the animal performs thetask as soon as it hears the clicker.

If you takeyour pet to anobedience class,that trainermay teach yousome tricks too.

For example,to teach a dogto sit, raise your arm in the air. Whenthe dog looks up at your arm, hisbackside automatically goes down. Thenhe gets a treat. It won’t take him long torealize that when he sits, he gets atreat. If you say “sit” at the same time,he’ll learn to follow your arm cue or theword cue. Pretty soon, he knows to siton command.

It is important not to cheat theanimal, though. If it expects a treat, itshould get a treat or petting each time.

Seeing is believingIn “Eight Below,” human and dog

actors had to appear to be sliding on iceor into water. In order to keep the dogand human actors safe, filmmakersbuilt a set out of wax and fake rocksmade to look like icebergs.

Trainers stayed with the dogs untilfilming started. A cable helped thedogsled team pull the character Doc outof the water. The cable was erased laterwhen the film was edited.

In scenes where the sled dogs appearto be pulling the sled up a steep,slippery hill, a crew member sometimeshelped push the sled from behind. Thecamera did not showhim. Sometimes, asnow machinepulled the sled upthe hill. Thecinematographer didnot film themachine. This extra help was used sothe dogs didn’t strain themselves. Movieviewers saw only the dogs pulling the sled.

Animal Movie Magic

Basic trainingThere are two basic ingredients to

training any animal: lots of time, andlots of things theanimal likes, such astreats or petting. Ittakes patience andcaring to train ananimal correctly.

For example,“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” wasfilmed with 40 squirrels. (The rest of thesquirrels were duplicated by computer.)

Trainers had to train the squirrels totrust people and other squirrels, and tosit and sort nuts.

The trainers started with youngsquirrels, working with one animal at atime. Then they put two together at atime, then three, and so on. It tookabout five months to train them.

The Mini Page StaffBetty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist

© Disney. All Rights Reserved

In the movie“Underdog”(now on DVD),the dog runs toget up speedbefore flying.In real life, thedog ran on atreadmill. Twotrainers stoodon each side ofthe dog, givinghim treats.

The Mini Page thanks animal trainer MikeAlexander with Birds & Animals Unlimited®,and Karen Rosa, director, American HumaneAssociation Film and TV Unit, for help with thisissue.

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In the movie “Eight Below”(now on DVD), the characterDoc falls through ice andnearly drowns. The dog Mayarescues him by crawling overto him and putting a rope overhis head.

Site to see: www.americanhumane.org

Look through the movie and TV listings ofyour newspaper to find shows with animalsin them.

Next week, The Mini Page is about NoahWebster’s 250th birthday.

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In “Air Buddies” (now on DVD), Air Bud andMolly rush to rescue their pups. While Mollyappears to bite the bad guy’s leg in themovie, she really is just biting his pants.


Supersport: David GarrardHeight: 6-2 Birthdate: 2-14-78Weight: 240 Residence: Jacksonville, Fla.

David Garrard is a big man. He also has become a big-timeNFL quarterback.

In a starting role last season, the six-year veteran ledJacksonville’s Jaguars to a 11-5 record. Garrard passed for 2,509 yards and18 touchdowns with only three interceptions. His quarterback rating of 102.2was among the highest in the league.

Garrard, who grew up in Durham, N.C., and set 28 school records at EastCarolina University, was picked in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL draft.Two years later he came down with Crohn’s disease, but continued playing,trying to find his niche as a pro.

That wasn’t the first adversity Garrard has faced. When he was 14, hismother died of breast cancer. Since then Garrard has established afoundation to support medical research and awareness for breast cancer.

Away from football, Garrard likes to spend time with his wife, Mary, andtheir young son, Justin.

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Meet Jamie Lee Curtis Safety for the Stars · Animal training tips Trainers often give special cues to an animal. For example, the trainer might carry a little clicker. When the animal