ABC’s Pooch Perfect hosted by Rebel Wilson is facing ‘doggie abuse’ accusations from viewers who say they can’t imagine the pups like being ‘poked, cut, bejeweled, and dressed up’.
The series premiered on Tuesday and featured 10 grooming teams vying for the $100,000 grand prize.
For the first episode, the teams were asked to turn muddy dogs into a ‘prized pooch’. They then participated in a second challenge to transform the dogs into an entirely different animal.
And while the show appears to bring some lighthearted fun to the TV screen, several people have slammed the creators over what they feel is dog abuse.
ABC’s Pooch Perfect hosted by Rebel Wilson (right) is facing ‘doggie abuse’ accusations from viewers who say they can’t imagine the pups like being ‘poked, cut, bejeweled, and dressed up’
And while the show appears to bring some lighthearted fun to the TV screen, several people have slammed the creators over what they feel is dog abuse
One dog appears to have been groomed to resemble a tiger for the contest
And while the show appears to bring some lighthearted fun to the TV screen, several people have slammed the creators over what they feel is dog abuse
‘I liked the first segment, but subjecting a pooch to 4 hours of coloring , cutting, etc. seems a bit much,’ one Twitter user wrote.
Another shared: ‘Just saw a commercial for #PoochPerfect. Anyone else think that looks like doggie abuse? I mean.’
‘You can’t convince me dogs like being poked, cut, bejeweled, and dressed up like this,’ a third person wrote.
One user said: ‘The longer I watch this show, the worse I feel for these poor dogs. #PoochPerfect.’
Another wrote: ‘That show went from awww cute to omg are these doggos ok to I’m traumatized real quick.’
A DailyMail.com request for comment to ABC was not immediately returned Thursday morning.
Another dog was decked out with multiple colors, including green, red, yellow and blue
This pooch was seen strutting the runway with polka dots
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) also didn’t immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment, but the organization did tell the New York Post that tie-dyes can carry the risk of allergic reactions and/or fatal poisoning.
‘Dogs trust us to keep them safe, but shows like ‘Pooch Perfect’ can encourage people to treat them as if they were things to decorate, like a ceramic pot, giving them dangerous at-home dye jobs, which not only carry the risk of an allergic reaction or fatal toxic poisoning but also stress them out,’ PETA said.
‘The dogs used on this show aren’t things but beings, and they deserve to curl up at home with a loving guardian — instead of having to put up with being leashed to a countertop and painted and prodded by strangers for hours on end.’
The show is hosted by Wilson whose family has a long history of handling and grooming dogs.
Last month, the Australian actress said that her great-grandmother began a beagle club in Australia and that her mother judges dog shows internationally.
As a child, Wilson traveled in her family’s yellow van to shows and sold grooming products despite being allergic to dogs.
‘My mom was devastated when I chose not to continue the family legacy,’ Wilson said.
‘When I told her I wasn’t going to continue in the family business and try to be an international movie star, she cried. I had to tell her in a public place so she wouldn’t do anything too crazy,’ Rebel added.
In the show, Lisa Vanderpump, dog groomer Jorge Bendersky and veterinarian Callie Harris will vote on creations from dog groomers and one team will be sent back to the doghouse — or eliminated — each week.
The remaining teams square off in a grooming transformation. The top three teams will compete for $100,000. The show is based on an Australian version.
Pooch Perfect is Wilson’s first project after undergoing her own transformation. She lost 60 pounds during her self-proclaimed year of health last year.
‘I’ve been showing it off on Instagram a bit too shamelessly,’ she said. ‘I get two looks per episode, and I like to work with my stylist and show off the new physique because still single. So this is my prime-time opportunity to just really put it out there.’
Wilson worked without a studio audience because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the seats were filled with stuffed animals.
‘I do try to bring the comedy in the show,’ she said. ‘I also do what’s called “dogography” in the show, which is a new term I invented. We dress the PAs (production assistants) up in dog costumes, and I work out little dances. I tried to lighten it up.’