Dennis Quaid weighed in on allegations of animal abuse on the set of “A Dog’s Purpose,” telling “Entertainment Tonight” the leaked video of a dog seemingly forced into turbulent water was “manipulated.”
The controversy erupted last week when TMZ posted leaked footage that appeared to show a German shepherd named Hercules shoved into a pool against his will.
“It makes me angry,” Quaid said on Monday. “I never saw any abuse of any animal. And if there had been, I would have walked.”
Quaid’s words somewhat echoed a statement released Monday by the film’s animal trainers, who said the footage was “falsely edited” and “defamatory.”
Quaid told Ellen DeGeneres that he had doubts about the video.
“I would not be on a set that had any kind of abuse toward animals ― any animals ― or people. ... I don’t think this video tells the whole story,” he said on Monday’s “Ellen.”
DeGeneres noted that the movie was shot in 2015 and questioned the motive of someone waiting this long to disclose such controversial footage.
“If you care about a dog, the next day that video should have been released,” DeGeneres said.
”A Dog’s Purpose,” which tells the story of a dog who’s reincarnated through several lifetimes and owners, opens Friday.
Watch both clips, above and below.