Adelaide, Australia: Moonlight Cinema Presents a Special Outdoor Movie Event for Dogs and Their Owners

Moonlight Cinema’s dog-friendly outdoor screening of Hotel for Dogs (PG) at Adelaide’s Botanic Gardens drew devoted dog owners and an inevitable question: what does a dog actually get out of watching a film? “Every year, we spring at least one couple in the bushes,” said Moonlight’s Jillian Bowen, noting that the event also tends to produce some canine romance. “I suspect there will be quite a few doggie hook-ups, but I take no responsibility for any resultant litters.”

Moonlight first hosted a bring-your-dog session five years earlier; more than 500 dogs and their owners attended. “Contrary to what you would think, the dogs were remarkably well-behaved,” Bowen said. “They’re pretty canny creatures. They all seemed to scope it out when they arrived and went, ‘Yeah, actually, I might just keep to myself.’ It was amazing to see 500 dogs sitting on their picnic rugs. Often, they behave better than our human patrons.”

Rules for the session: all pets on a leash no longer than two metres; chocolate and macadamia nuts (both toxic to dogs) banned; aggressive breeds and muzzle-required dogs not permitted; each dog must have its own adult supervisor. Australian actress Sigrid Thornton brought her labradoodles Billie and Baz to a fenced VIP area, though even celebrity guests would be asked to leave if their pets misbehaved.

On whether dogs actually enjoy films, Bowen had a clear answer: “They can only see in 2D and in black and white, so to them it appears as blobs of movement. They simply won’t respond to an image of a dog, no matter how large it is. But they will get excited if they hear a dog barking.” The dog-friendly screenings were founded by Moonlight Cinema founder James Tutton, who simply liked both outdoor cinema and dogs — and decided to combine the two.