BGT hit by animal cruelty row over singing dog: OUTRAGED viewers complain to Ofcom
IT was a performance that melted Simon Cowell’s notoriously icy heart and left millions speechless.
But Britain’s Got Talent could now find itself in the doghouse over a pet pooch that “sang” a classic 1970s love song.
Ventriloquist Marc Métral and Wendy the wonder dog’s rendition of Feelings was the highlight of Saturday night’s return of the smash hit variety show.
But the Frenchman has found himself at the centre of an animal cruelty storm after a flood of complaints about his act.
The scarcely believable five minute routine saw open-mouthed Cowell send the duo straight through to the semi-finals.
But dozens of viewers complained, claiming Wendy was only able to mime because she wore a mask.
Last night TV watchdog Ofcom said it was “assessing” 21 complaints of animal cruelty before making a decision on whether to investigate. A further 35 people contacted ITV to complain.
“It is not clear if Wendy was wearing any sort of muzzle or mask during the performance, however the RSPCA would be very concerned if it became clear she was caused distress at any point,” a spokesman said.
“We will be contacting the show to ascertain what methods were used and how they impacted on the dog.
“Distress could result from her being unable to breathe or pant properly whilst wearing a mask or muzzle on stage and in an environment which can get very warm, it is essential panting is not restricted.
The RSPCA would be very concerned if it became clear she was caused distress at any point
“Dogs should never be forced to wear anything.
“Environments like this have the potential to cause distress to animals in general due to the flashing lights and loud noises and we would hope Britain’s Got Talent has considered very carefully the welfare of any animals being used in performances.”
Show supremo Cowell, 55, looked on in disbelief when Wendy moved her mouth in perfect time to the music.
Fellow judge Amanda Holden said Mr Métral, 61, had “made television history” while Cowell added: “Wow, I don’t know how she does that. How does she know the words? Unbelievable.”
A show spokesman said: “During the audition process we consulted the RSPCA’s guidelines for the welfare of performing animals and spoke to Marc in detail about his act.
“We are comfortable Marc’s act complies with the guidelines laid out by the RSPCA and we look forward to hearing from the RSPCA to talk through the methods used and precautions taken.”
Mr Métral said: “I’ve been working with Wendy since she was a puppy, training and caring for her for the last five years.
“She loves performing and I would never put her in a situation that would cause her distress. She gets excited when we go to work and is always comfortable on stage.”
The first episode of the ninth series of Britain’s Got Talent got off to a flying start with an average of 10.1million viewers.
The ITV talent contest was the most-watched programme of the evening with a peak audience of more than 11million.
