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Pounds Are Animal Prisons: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
[[File:
{{quote|''"They took us to the pound! I told you! This is it, this is the end of the line! WE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE!"''
|'''Chance''', [[Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey]]}}
One trope that's sure to rub animal-shelter volunteers the wrong way is the [[Seen It a Million Times|frequently]] antagonistic portrayal of animal shelters in fiction.
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This is especially the case with [[Talking Animal]] cartoons, where pounds are depicted as little more than prisons full of animal inmates "serving time" for some alleged misdemeanor offense and hoping to one day see the warm sun and blue skies again. In extreme cases, depictions may even echo [[World War Two|Nazi concentration camps]] with diabolical dog-catchers deliberately hunting down and impounding household pets by the hundreds (as one New York City pound became infamous for during the 1800's) to be "[[Released to Elsewhere|put to sleep]]", never to see their beloved family again unless they immediately stage some kind of [[Great Escape|daring jailbreak]].
Now while it is true that animal-control officers may impound problematic or aggressive animals when responding to an emergency call, and that not enough lost pets at animal shelters get reunited with their families, modern ([[Real Life]]) animal-control facilities and shelters are nowhere near the depraved standards that fiction likes to depict them with. Animal shelters know firsthand how deeply pets become family members, and have a vested interest in providing their animals with a regular supply of food, shelter, health care, and
Fortunately becoming a [[Discredited Trope]] with animal-rights groups (not the [[Animal Wrongs Group]]) making the plight of abandoned and abused animals more well-known, though it may have originated from the [[Forgotten Trope]] of the Diabolical Dogcatcher (especially in areas where pet ownership requires an official license).
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A particularly strange variation can occur with zoos and/or ''wildlife'' rehabilitation centers, who work with non-domestic animals that (for whatever reason) might not survive in the wild; they too have a vested interest in their animals' health and upkeep.
Probably related to the [[Playing
{{examples}}
== [[Film]] ==
* ''[[Hotel For Dogs]]''. "At least it's better than the pound." Also presents pound workers gloating about euthanising dogs after a day, just to drive the point home.
* ''[[The Shaggy D.A.]]'' had a dog pound scene, presented very like a prison, where he escaped with the help of the other dogs.
* In the movie ''[[
* The 1995 movie ''[[Fluke]]'' not only has a Prison Pound, it also has an Evil Research Lab. And did we mention that the titular dog is a reincarnated ''human''?
* ''[[Mousehunt]]'' had the [[World War Two|doggy concentration camp]] variety. And yes, we see a kitten getting gassed for absolutely no reason.
* ''[[Lady and
* In ''[[
* ''[[All Dogs Go to Heaven]]'' starts with Charlie breaking out of a dog pound, the whole sequence of which is treated like a typical jailbreak scene. In the next scene, another dog comments on Charlie's return with "Ain't you supposed to be on Death Row?"▼
* Played with in ''[[Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron]]''. The wild horses see stables as a prison, or like them being taken for slaves. The humans in the movie are treated quite reasonably though, but the horses point-of-view is different from the reality.▼
* ''[[Finding Nemo]]'' did this with a fish tank.▼
== [[Literature]] ==
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== [[Live-Action TV]] ==
* An early episode of ''[[Eerie, Indiana]]'' involved a dog pound, and a boy whose dental bracers could detect (and translate) the dogs' language. It was implied that an ominous room at the end of the hall was where they put dogs to sleep, and the dogs were organizing some kind of rebellion.
* In ''[[Married...
* In an episode of ''[[Wishbone]]'', Wishbone is placed in the pound after having been found without his collar. He initially views it like this, but then he falls in love with a female dog there. At this point, his owner shows up and provides an [[Unwanted Rescue]].
== [[Newspaper Comics]] ==
* Averted in a ''[[Scamp]]'' comic where after spending an entire day trying to find a place to cool off on a hot summer day, Scamp gets sent to the pound, where the dogs there have built an escape tunnel ([[Continuity Nod|which appears to be the same one they were working on in the movie]]), but stay anyways because it is nice and cool inside.
* In
* ''The Dogs of C Kennel'' by Mick and and Mason Mastroianni is pretty much this.
* The title character of ''[[Opus]]'' was imprisoned in the local dog pound at one point. It was [[Played for Laughs]], with the storyline spoofing various [[Prison Tropes]] (and the inmates' reaction to a ''penguin'' in their midst). He was released after a short time, once his owner paid his fine. See ''[[Bloom County]]''.
== [[Toys]] ==
* Along the same lines is Pick-A-Dilly Pet Shop for the [[Purr
== [[Web Comics]] ==
* In the [[Web Comic]] ''[[Skin Horse]]'', the "Wild Things" [[Story Arc]]. Talking dog Sweetheart [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/skinhorse/series.php?view=archive&chapter=31156 ends up in custody] after attempting to get in touch with her wild side and go on a rampage {{spoiler|by brazenly defying a "Keep off the grass" sign and actually ''spilling coffee'' on someone's lawn}}. Oh, the caninity.
* ''[[Freefall]]'', what's with one of protagonists being an [[Uplifted Animal|uplifted]] wolf. First the [http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1500/fc01498.htm Mayor] sent her there, then [http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff2400/fc02333.htm Police] "solved" the problem of where to keep her during the investigation.
== [[Western Animation]] ==
▲* ''[[Lady and The Tramp]]''. "What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" Lady herself has a license and is quickly returned to her owners, while Tramp is caught by the dog-catchers (but later adopted by Lady's family as well). Interestingly, the dogcatchers aren't really demonized or set up as villains; they're just people doing their jobs. Though the dogs are shown to be absolutely miserable, as they try to dig out and escape. Mostly, it's the nasty Aunt Sarah that tells the dogcatcher to destroy the Tramp.
* ''[[Ren and Stimpy]]'', the pilot episode "Big House Blues".
* We hate to bring up such a notorious [[Nightmare Fuel|childhood]] [[Tear Jerker|destroying]] moment, but the first ''[[Garfield]]'' animated special ''Here Comes Garfield'' has him and Odie trapped and alone in such a pound. A bumbling Animal Control officer is a regular antagonist in ''[[The Garfield Show]]''
* After being falsely accused of attacking Beebee Bluff (when he was just trying to rescue her from falling in thin ice), Porkchop of ''[[Doug]]'' is confiscated by the pound and sentenced to 'execution'. The entire matter is played out as if he's actually in a maximum security prison.
▲* In ''[[Bolt (Disney)|Bolt]]'', the titular dog and cat Mittens are captured by an animal-control officer after an argument between them caused a scene. Bolt is rescued by Rhino en route to the shelter, but Mittens is impounded and fears she will never leave (as nobody will want to adopt her, {{spoiler|an abandoned, declawed housecat}}). Bolt then decides to break Mittens out that night with Rhino's help, which they do. The shelter itself is quite clean, and a banner in the entryway is briefly seen promoting a "Pet Adoption Week".
* On ''[[Rocko's Modern Life]]'', Rocko gets [[I Am Not Weasel|mistaken for a dog]] and is put on the pound. Appalled by the deplorable conditions, he decides to run for city dog catcher. He loses, but the city simultaneously votes in a more liberal animal control policy, and the role of dogcatcher (won by Mr. Bighead) is reduced to "glorified pooper scooper".
* ''[[Pound Puppies]]'':
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** The newer series on [[The Hub]] has since returned to the aforementioned Hogan's Heroes allegory. Indeed, their secret headquarters are referred to as "Shelter 17".
* Since Brian on ''[[Family Guy]]'' is more human-like than dog, when he winds up in the Pound, this happens. Along with a violent cell mate.
* Rita and Runt of ''[[
* Dan has this view of animal shelters in an episode of ''[[Dan Vs.]]''▼
▲* ''[[All Dogs Go to Heaven]]'' starts with Charlie breaking out of a dog pound, the whole sequence of which is treated like a typical jailbreak scene. In the next scene, another dog comments on Charlie's return with "Ain't you supposed to be on Death Row?"
{{quote|
▲* Dan has this view of animal shelters in an episode of ''[[Dan Vs]]''
* One episode of ''[[Muppet Babies]]'' has a part where Baby Rowlf thinks that this trope applies to zoos since they reminded him of dog pounds. Nanny goes on to explain what zoos are all about, and how important they are to the protection of animal life.▼
▲{{quote| "I didn't ask you to build an animal jail across the street. Shut your prisoners up, warden!"}}
▲* Played with in ''[[Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron]]''. The wild horses see stables as a prison, or like them being taken for slaves. The humans in the movie are treated quite reasonably though, but the horses point-of-view is different from the reality.
▲* ''[[Finding Nemo]]'' did this with a fish tank.
▲* One episode of [[Muppet Babies]] has a part where Baby Rowlf thinks that this trope applies to zoos since they reminded him of dog pounds. Nanny goes on to explain what zoos are all about, and how important they are to the protection of animal life.
* Some [[Classic Disney Shorts]] focusing mainly on [[Pluto the Pup|Pluto]] will often have dog pounds being portrayed as prisons.
* A [[Flashback]] in ''[[Helluva Boss]]'' shows that not only are animal shelters in the setting (which is Hell) like this, but orphaned hellhounds like Loona are kept in the same facility; clearly, hellhounds are considered only slightly better than animals in Hell's [[Fantastic Caste System]]. Ironically, however, as bad as the place is, Loona is a month away from being "aged out" (as in, turning 18, when she will be released and abandoned) and is terrified at the thought of leaving, knowing she would likely starve.
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Prison Tropes]]
[[Category:Animal Tropes]]
[[Category:
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