101 Dalmatians the Musical

Rescue Dogs Hit the Stage for New '101 Dalmatians Musical' | Talented | News | PEOPLE Pets

Who doesn’t like the story of 101 Dalmatians? It’s fantastic and has sparked a love for dogs in many children. Now you can see it come to life on the stage! Normally this would make me nervous. It’s no secret that after any dog movie or event comes out (ie Beverly Hills Chihuahua), the number of abandoned dogs will also go up. The problem is that people see these cute dogs and think …wouldn’t it be nice to have them for myself/my children/etc. Problem is that they don’t research the breed to know what to expect, or simply don’t consider the responsibility of owning a dog.

Joel Slaven of Joel Slaven Professional Animals was hesitant to get involved in the musical given this phenomenon. Here is an excerpt from an interview he did with PawNation:

“When the ‘101 Dalmatians’ movie came out, everybody ran out and bought a Dalmatian without giving it a whole lot of thought, resulting in thousands of the dogs [that ended up] in shelters,” Slaven tells Paw Nation.

Then he learned that the producers and Purina Dog Chow, the show’s sponsor, were adamant about using only rescued Dalmatians in the musical, as well as including a frankly-worded Playbill insert that informs audience members about Dalmatians as pets. The note says that a Dalmatian is an “active, curious and loving friend who sheds a lot and requires mind-stimulating activities … who do not like to be left alone, do not adapt well to being outside dogs, are light skinned and burn easily in the sun, are genetically predisposed to have problems processing purines, can be deaf, and live an average of 10-12 years, requiring a lifetime commitment.”

“I realized it was an opportunity to turn this thing around, and instead of promoting people going out and buying Dalmatians for pets, we could actually educate the public on what they need to do if they’re going to get any dog for a pet,” says Slaven.

Beginning in January, Slaven and his team of trainers searched the country for Dalmatians at shelters and rescue groups. “We literally went coast to coast looking for dogs who were confident, secure, social, and not shy or timid,” Slaven says. They found 15 such Dalmatians, and gave them names such as Rascal, Rosie, Tibbs, Hanna, Jada and Bella. Some had heartworm or needed dental work, while others were either emaciated or obese.

“We brought them all down to the farm in Florida [where Slaven maintains an expansive training facility] and spent the first month building bonds with the dogs, playing with them, and getting them in good physical condition,” Slaven explains. When the dogs were at their perfect weight and their coats and eyes shining, Slaven and his trainers began working with the Dalmatians using treats and other positive reinforcement.

As “The 101 Dalmatians Musical” tours the country, the 15 Dalmatians will travel in style in a luxurious purple bus customized just for the dogs. “Purina bought a big, rock star bus and tricked it out,” says Slaven. “We call it the ‘Puppy Palace.’” The back of the bus is outfitted with large compartments where the dogs will sleep at night. The floors of the bus are made of soft rubber for traction so the dogs don’t slip and hurt themselves. Up front are bunks for the trainers with individual mini-TV screens. “I looked in there the other day,” says Slaven, laughing, “and the dogs were in bed watching TV with the trainers.” During the day, a team of five trainers will set up 10-by-10-foot playpens lined with fresh pine shavings for the Dalmatians to play in.

“There’s no doubt they’re having fun,” Slaven says of the Dalmatians. “They have a great life now. They’ll do the show for a year, and if the musical continues, we’ll see which dogs are still enjoying it and which will be placed for adoption.”

I love that Joel considered the consequences before getting involved and made sure that there was education that went along with the musical. People need to be aware of the importance of things like researching the breed that is right for them, spaying and neutering, rescuing vs. buying, etc. A HUGE pat on the back to the people of 101 Dalmatians the Musical for finding a way to responsibly showcase these beautiful dogs!

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