Love ‘Game of Thrones’? Jerome Flynn Urges Fans Not to Buy ‘Direwolves’
Ahead of the final season of Game of Thrones, series star Jerome Flynn appears in a new PETA US campaign urging fans not to buy huskies or any other animal (“direwolves” included!) on impulse.
In recent years, there has been a spike in the number of huskies being abandoned or handed over to shelters, which experts attribute to increased demand for the breed because of physical similarities to the show’s direwolves. Jerome explains:
“While people may have good intentions, acquiring dogs on a whim has dire consequences. Animal shelters around the world are reporting a surge in the number of abandoned huskies because the casual acquirer, drawn to the dog’s appearance, failed to take into consideration the amount of time, patience, and money required to care for these animals properly.”
For those who do have the resources to take care of an animal for life, he has one request:
“If you have carefully considered bringing a four-legged companion into your family, you can save a life by adopting a dog – or preferably two so they can keep each other company – from your local animal shelter.”
Jerome, a long-time vegan who previously starred in a PETA US campaign exposing the horrors of the British meat industry, is part of a growing list of celebrities who have teamed up with PETA US or its international affiliates to promote kindness to animals – including his Game of Thrones co-stars Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey.
The Homeless-Husky Epidemic
Since Game of Thrones premiered in 2011, animal-rescue centres in the UK have reportedly seen a 700 per cent increase in the number of abandoned huskies.
Blue Cross, a charity that finds homes for animal companions, reports that the number of abandoned or unwanted wolf-like dogs, including huskies, has been steadily rising over the past few years. In the US, two breed-specific rescue groups in California have seen the number of animals they take in double over the last two years.
What You Can Do for Huskies and Other Animal Companions
Every year, hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats end up in animal shelters across the UK , and many have to be euthanised, simply because there aren’t enough good homes for them. That’s why, like Jerome, PETA US encourages would-be guardians to adopt animals – never buy them from breeders or pet shops – and to have them spayed or neutered to avoid contributing to the animal-overpopulation crisis.
