This image released by Universal Pictures shows Dennis Quaid with a dog, voiced by Josh Gad, in a scene from "A Dog's Purpose." A spokesman for American Humane said Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 that it has... (Associated Press) 
 
 This image released by Universal Pictures shows Dennis Quaid with a dog, voiced by Josh Gad, in a scene from "A Dog's Purpose." A spokesman for American Humane said Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 that it has suspended its safety representative who worked on the set of the film when a frightened German shepherd,... (Associated Press) 
 
 This image released by Universal Pictures shows Dennis Quaid with a dog, voiced by Josh Gad, in a scene from "A Dog's Purpose." A spokesman for American Humane said Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 that it has suspended its safety representative who worked on the set of the film when a frightened German shepherd,... (Associated Press) This image released by Universal Pictures shows Dennis Quaid with a dog, voiced by Josh Gad, in a scene from "A Dog's Purpose." A spokesman for American Humane said Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 that it has... (Associated Press) 
 
 LOS ANGELES (AP) — The organization that ensures animal safety in film and television productions said Wednesday it is investigating whether a frightened dog was forced into churning water during the making of "A Dog's Purpose." 
 
 American Humane has also suspended its safety representative who worked on the film and is hiring an independent investigator to explore the matter, said Mark Stubis, a spokesman for the organization. 
 
 The incident came to light when celebrity site TMZ.com posted a minute-long video it says was shot during production of "A Dog's Purpose." 
 
 It shows a German shepherd apparently terrified to get into a pool and a trainer forcing the dog into the water. 
 
 Universal Pictures, which is releasing "A Dog's Purpose" on Jan. 27, has not responded to a request for comment from The Associated Press. 
 
 People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said in a Twitter post that dog lovers should boycott the film "to send the message that dogs & other animals should be treated humanely, not as props." 
 
 Actor Josh Gad, who lends his voice to a dog in the film, issued a statement on Twitter saying he has asked the studio and production team for an explanation of what he calls "disturbing images." 
 
 He said that while the finished film is "one of the most beautiful love letters to animals I have ever seen," he was troubled by the video. 
 
 "I am shaken and sad to see any animal put in a situation against its will," Gad wrote. A publicist for the actor confirmed the post was authentic. ||||| 'A Dog's Purpose' Video Triggers Suspension 
 
 'A Dog's Purpose' Video Triggers Suspension 
 
 EXCLUSIVE 
 
 The representative from the American Humane Association who was on the set of "A Dog's Purpose" has been suspended after officials saw video of a terrorized dog on set. 
 
 TMZ posted the hard-to-watch video Wednesday morning, showing a German Shepherd that clearly did not want to swim in the turbulent waters, but was forced to do so by his handler. 
 
 The American Humane Association was on set and is responsible for enforcing safety guidelines for animal actors. The org is the body that validates that no animals are harmed in the making of a film. 
 
 The AHA tells TMZ, "We are placing the safety representative who was on the set on administrative leave immediately and are bringing in an independent third party to conduct an investigation into this matter." 
 
 Amblin Partners and Universal Pictures told TMZ, they have always been determined to foster the ethical treatment of actor animals and are investigating the matter. ||||| This article originally appeared on PEOPLE.com. 
 
 The filmmakers behind A Dog’s Purpose have come under fire after a video surfaced showing a trainer apparently forcing one of the film’s animals into turbulent waters. 
 
 In the video obtained by TMZ, a German Shepherd is seen clawing at a pool’s edge and trying to run away as a trainer attempts to force the dog into the rushing water. The site reports that the scene was shot for the movie in Winnipeg, Canada, in November 2015. 
 
 Off-camera, someone can be heard laughing at the dog’s resistance. “You just got to throw him in,” the person says. 
 
 The dog eventually got in the water, but almost immediately became submerged. While it’s unclear if that was part of the film, someone off camera begins yelling “Cut it!” as crew members race toward the animal. 
 
 The German Shepherd was one of at least five dogs used in the production, according to TMZ. 
 
 In a statement to TMZ, Amblin Partners and Universal Pictures said, “Fostering a safe environment and ensuring the ethical treatment of our animal actors was of the utmost importance to those involved in making this film and we will look into the circumstances surrounding this video.” 
 
 PETA has condemned the video, saying in a statement: “PETA is calling on dog lovers to boycott the film in order to send the message that dogs and other animals should be treated humanely, not as movie props.” 
 
 Based on the book by W. Bruce Cameron, A Dog’s Purpose, out Jan. 27, tells the soulful story of one dog’s journey to find the meaning of his own life through the lives of the humans he touches along the way.
– The American Humane Association has launched an investigation and PETA is calling for a boycott over disturbing footage of a dog on the set of A Dog's Purpose. In a video released by TMZ, an apparently terrified German shepherd struggles as a handler forces it into churning water, the AP reports. The dog is then seen submerged as people rush toward him. The AHA, which monitors the treatment of animals on film sets, says it has suspended the representative who worked on the movie. The association is "disturbed and concerned by the footage," the group said in a statement to USA Today. "When the dog showed signs of resistance to jumping in the water, the scene should have been stopped." In a statement, actor Josh Gad, who provided the dog's voice, said the movie is "one of the most beautiful love letters to animals I have ever seen," but he found the video disturbing and he has asked the studio for an explanation. "I am shaken and sad to see any animal put in a situation against its will," he said. Director Lasse Hallstrom tweeted that he was also disturbed by the footage and has been told that wrongdoing will be punished. The movie is scheduled to be released by Universal Pictures on Jan. 27. Entertainment Weekly reports that the studio released a statement Wednesday evening saying Hercules, the dog in the video, didn't want to perform the stunt that day, but "great care and concern" was shown for him. The studio says it's reviewing the footage.