There may be no bigger cultural phenomenon than Game of Thrones at the current moment. It is an all-encompassing force that shuts down your Twitter feed on Sundays, clogs your Facebook with spoilers on Monday, and even inspires pop-up bakeries as a tribute to the show. No other show is really on its level.
If you believe the people at PETA, even pet choices are being inspired by the HBO show. Direwolves, the large and hyper-intelligent wolves found in the northern part of Westeros, are so cool on Game of Thrones that they're prompting new pet owners to go out and buy huskies, who share resemblance with the fictional wolves. The problem is not necessarily the demand for the dogs, but how much care goes into watching after them, which is prompting owners to abandon the dogs at shelters once they deal with them firsthand.
Looking to stop this problem, the actor behind Tyrion Lannister, Peter Dinklage, is partnering with PETA to put a stop to this. He released a statement on Tuesday afternoon, calling for fans of Game of Thrones to make sure they're prepared for the responsibility of owning a dog, should they take that plunge.
"Please, to all Game of Thrones' many wonderful fans, we understand that due to the direwolves' huge popularity, many folks are going out and buying huskies," said Dinklage. "Not only does this hurt all the wonderful homeless dogs waiting for a chance at a good home in shelters, but shelters are reporting that huskies are being abandoned as often happens when dogs are bought on impulse, without understanding the dog's needs."
Dinklage continued. "Please, please: if you're going to bring a dog into your family, make sure you're prepared for such a tremendous responsibility and remember to always, ALWAYS, adopt from a shelter."
The press release also reveals that this is a phenomenon they've dealt with before, only with different dogs. PETA insists that dogs seen in 101 Dalmatians, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Legally Blonde, and Men In Black all inspired spikes in specific dog sales, creating the same sort of problem we're seeing with huskies in 2017. No word on whether the demand for dragon purchases has changed, however.
It's an admirable move from Dinklage, as he understands the scope of Game of Thrones' influence better than anyone. Who knows how many people it will actually stop from going out and buying a husky, but even if it's just one person who takes the message to heart, it's a worthwhile gesture.
