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Hollywood is quietly phasing out one of its most beloved sidekicks: real animals. With advancements in artificial intelligence and digital effects, studios are turning more and more to virtual creatures for their films and series. Behind the scenes, this shift is leaving thousands of animal trainers and their furry stars with fewer and fewer opportunities.
Real animals losing the spotlight to digital counterparts
Not long ago, dogs like Rocco, a Saint Bernard-boxer mix, were staples on TV sets. He appeared in series like Veronica Mars and The Morning Show, bringing a warm, authentic presence to screens. But today, Rocco hasn’t booked an acting job in years. He now spends his days at Studio Animal Services in Castaic, California, a facility that once supplied animals to classics like Ghostbusters and CSI: Miami.
Owner Karin McElhatton explains: “Things were already slowing down after COVID, but AI pushed us over the edge.” The COVID-19 pandemic, the double writers’ and actors’ strikes in 2023, and a general contraction in streaming production all played a role. But the increasing reliability and affordability of digital animals seem to be the final blow.
I can’t help but feel a sting of nostalgia here. As a movie lover, I grew up watching scenes where a real dog would tilt its head just right or a horse would stomp instinctively—moments no algorithm can quite replicate. To read Gwen Stefani headlines magical 2025 Disney Christmas Parade
Studios choosing control and convenience
Benay Karp, who runs Benay’s Bird & Animal Rentals and worked on Mirror Mirror and Grace and Frankie, says her business is now operating at just 40 percent of its pre-pandemic level. The biggest drop? Birds. “We barely get any calls for woodpeckers or seagulls anymore,” she explains.
You can see this shift even in blockbuster productions. In The Call of the Wild (2020), Harrison Ford’s loyal companion Buck wasn’t a live dog, but a fully digital creature. And in James Gunn’s upcoming Superman film, the superhero pup Krypto is also being created digitally—based on scans of Gunn’s real dog, Ozu.
As much as I admire the technical wizardry behind these effects, there’s a trade-off. The choice of going virtual often stems from logistical, financial, and safety benefits. Directors can shoot longer without dealing with tired animals, scenes can be adjusted endlessly in post-production, and there are zero risks of on-set incidents.
Traditional animal roles are now endangered
Even horses, a fixture in Westerns and historical dramas, are no longer safe. Lisa Brown, a trainer known for her work on Secretariat, says it’s only a matter of time before they’re also entirely replaced on screen. Between transport, training, and the need for medical care, they’re just not efficient from a production standpoint anymore.
For those of us who love authenticity, it’s hard not to worry. A digitally generated gallop doesn’t carry the same weight as a real horse pounding across a field. That physical reality—not just visual but emotional—is hard to fake. To read Toho expands into Europe with bold anime distribution moves
Ethical encouragement vs emotional realism
Animal rights advocates, especially PETA, see these changes as progress. Lauren Thomasson from the organization’s film and TV division cites recent films like Mufasa and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes as victories. “AI can do harm or good,” she says, “but when it comes to animals on set, using digital effects eliminates suffering.”
There’s truth in that. On some sets, animal treatment hasn’t always been perfect. Minimizing harm matters. But there’s also Bonnie Judd’s perspective, a seasoned trainer who supervised A Dog’s Journey in 2019. She remembers a death scene where her dog Belle performed so convincingly that the entire crew was moved to tears. “AI can’t create real emotion,” she says. I believe her.
That moment says a lot. No matter how advanced graphics become, there’s a subtle depth in real eyes, a reaction that feels instinctive, not coded.
Surviving on the sidelines
Some animal actors, like Rocco and his golden retriever friend Porter, still find work in smaller productions or commercials. But the golden age of live animals in big films seems to be passing.
A few roles remain. Sometimes producers still want that nostalgic charm of a live dog on screen or an expressive horse in a close-up. But those moments are more often exceptions now than the rule.
If you’re wondering what this shift means for the future, here’s a summary of what’s changing:
- Virtual animals are becoming more common in major films thanks to breakthroughs in AI and VFX.
- Budget constraints and safety concerns push studios to choose controllable digital solutions.
- Animal trainers are witnessing a 60% drop in demand compared to pre-pandemic years.
- Even traditionally essential animals like horses are at risk of disappearing from sets.
- While digital creatures reduce ethical issues, they can’t always match the emotional impact of real performances.
As someone who treasures those quiet cinematic moments—like a loyal dog nuzzling its human or an owl silently watching from a tree branch—I can’t help but feel that something deeply human is at stake too.
