Animal rights organisation PETA has fears of an influx of Dalmatian puppy sales in the lead-up to Disney's Cruella movie.
On Wednesday, the trailer for the new film focusing on the backstory of the 101 Dalmatians villain dropped. Hours after its release, PETA shared their concerns in a Twitter statement.
The trailer shows Cruella in the years prior to becoming the puppy stealing villain she is today. The movie is a prequel to 101 Dalmatians, set in the 1970s, and tells the story of Cruella as a fashion designer in London, which is where she discovers her love of Dalmatian prints specifically.
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They said: "Nobody shows the cruelty of skinning animals better than Cruella, but PETA's praise will be on paws until @Disney takes steps to stop a repeat of '96's 101 Dalmatians, when shelters were flooded with dogs reportedly discarded by fans who weren't prepared for puppies to grow up.
"The devil is in the details, and Cruella must remind viewers that animals are individuals - not accessories - and to adopt them."
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According to the group, the release of the 1996 cartoon 101 Dalmatians inspired a huge number of people bringing Dalmatian puppies into their homes - only to ditch them at shelters when they grew older.
PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - wants to prevent this from happening again after Cruella is released in May this year.
Disney has yet to respond to PETA's statement.
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In the trailer, Emma Stone can be seen as villainess Cruella de Vil, with the iconic black and white hairstyle.
"From the very beginning I realised I saw the world differently to everyone else," we hear Cruella explain in the trailer.
"That didn't sit well with some people. But I wasn't for everyone. I guess they were always scared that I'd be... a psycho."
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The film is set to be released in the UK on 28th May 2021.
Tyla has contacted Disney+ for comment.
Topics: Film News, Disney, TV and Film, Puppy, Animals, Dogs