New U.K. Reality Show Dogs Might Fly Will ‘Teach’ Dogs to Fly Planes for Television

I see a lot of people complaining that the entertainment industry is held back by the temptation to constantly pander to nostalgia and return to the reliable well of stories and concepts that have proved successful in the past. But here’s some original #content for you!  (Although arguably Peanuts did this first.)

ABC News reports that British Channel Sky 1 is teaching dogs to fly airplanes for Dogs Might Fly, a six-part reality series in which dogs are rescued from shelters, moved to a mansion, and tested on their memorization, communication, and problem-solving skills. The dogs will be trained on simulators, but the canine “winner” of the series will be given the chance to fly a real airplane. The sky puppies will all be found forever homes at the end of the series.

The Independent, which first reported on Dogs Might Fly last year when people at a London airfield reported seeing “a dog grappling with aircraft-style controls,” says the series aims to prove that dogs have “distinct personalities and incredible levels of intelligence.” The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) declined The Independent’s request for comment on the show.

I have a super low tolerance for seeing dogs in stressful situations, so I’m not sure how I feel about some of the simulations the dogs will undergo (the caninetestants will reportedly ride in a speedboat and take an elevator to the top of a skyscraper–both experiences that every dog I’ve owned would not have been into), but, uh, points for originality I guess, Sky 1? If the show pulls this off humanely, and actually manages to raise appreciation for rescue dogs, they should try it with some motherf****** snakes next time.

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