Why is there this distinction between animals we see as ‘food’ and those we see as 'pets’? This is a question that baffles me all the time. Needless to say, I’m a vegetarian, and I’d no sooner eat bacon than the flesh of my own pet dog, so I really enjoyed this short film, played in the line-up of the most recent Show me the Shorts film series. There were lots of ‘gasp’ moments, everyone in the theatre was horrified at the prospect of being fed their own pet. 

Narrative film is a great way to portray these ideas. Creating empathy with a character’s situation gets the viewer more engaged than if these questions were presented without a story. I think it comes down to ‘showing, not telling.’ The audience isn’t told ‘it’s weird that we have these double standards towards animals, and that’s not OK’ but it’s definitely inferred, and different angles and arguments are explored by different characters.

I always find it funny at the end of film credits when it is stated ‘no animals were harmed in the making of this film.’ Really? Was the catering 100% vegan and ethically sourced? Was there no fur nor leather in the costumes or furniture? Was absolutely none of the make up from one of the many brands that test on animals? Doubt it.