There are countless pooches and kitties who give great face on camera, but how many can brag that they have an agent?
Of the top pet talent agencies in New York City, “there are probably three major players,” said Cat Long, owner of All Creatures Great & Small, one of which is hers.
“We’re also the longest running,” Long said, as it was founded in the 1950s by her mother, Ruth.
“She was one of the original staff zoologists for the Captain Kangaroo show,” she said. “I grew up in a home that fostered animals from the Bronx Zoo — baby deer, possums, raccoons, squirrels, lion cubs, monkeys and owls.”
Long’s personal home pets currently include dogs, cats, guinea pigs, a hog-nosed snake, a rabbit, a bearded dragon, a mourning dove and fish.
Whereas print and television were dominant media formats 20 years ago, today, the Internet has changed how consumers view advertising, she said.
“At least 75% of our business is web and social-media based work now,” she said.
Long’s agency’s credits include music videos for Chappell Roan, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Madonna and Lady Gaga and countless corporate clients like Target, Coca Cola and Adidas.
With one full-time employee and a roster of independent contractors comprised of reptile, marine and bird experts, insect and horse specialists, and vet techs, “We have professionals who’ve been in the field for decades and are amazing and knowledgeable of how to take care of things safely and humanely,” said Long. “You don’t send an animal that isn’t acclimated to do this type of work. We understand the species and personality of each animal.”
While dogs and domestic cats are most sought after, Long has hundreds of animals in her database. “We have a wonderful established network,” said Long. “Almost daily, I receive multiple calls from people telling me they have the cutest dog or cat in the whole world — everyone thinks they should be in pictures,” said Long. “That’s great, because if motivated, they can be trained, but it’s a job and we have set, performance expectations. Your pet may be wonderful and mushy at home, but does he or she get stressed during travel? A dog may have to be comfortable in a ‘stay’ position for up to three minutes, in a strange environment, with distractions and different stimuli — they may not be ready for this.”
Agility training is mandatory for making it in print, television, film and theater, but it’s an investment well worth the time and money, said Trudy Wisner, a six-generation bearded collie breeder, trainer and owner of Paws R’ Us grooming salon in Brooklyn.
Rugby, Wisner’s 11-year-old bearded collie, is her top earner to date. At just eight weeks old, “We started obedience classes. Agility work, such as jumps, tunnels, leap holes, began at the same time,” said Wisner.
Currently working two to three times a month, Rugby may be expected to sit pretty for a print ad alongside human models, stop on a mark for television, bark while looking up in the air, take three steps or more complicated actions. He’s shared scenes with human stars like George Clooney, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson and Jennifer Hudson over the years, and continues to be the featured dog on “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” said Wisner.
“Who doesn’t love seeing their dog on stuff? Nothing makes me more proud. I love the challenge of training new skills — there’s so much more they’re capable of,” she said.
While Long agrees no one knows your pet better than the human parent, “We provide a professional handler on every shoot, to work with you to get the job done,” said Long.
“Naomi Watts allowed us to come to her house twice a day, for 20-minute sessions, four weeks before we started shooting. She became part of the training team. She and Bing have a real connection in the film.”
William Berloni, animal trainer and agent
On average, sessions can last four to eight hours on a set with pay rates of several hundred dollars, she said.
“Sadly, animal talent is seen as a prop,” said Long. “There’s no union for animals — no royalties or residuals, just a session fee.”
However, if an animal scores a starring or recurring character role on a television, pay rate and related fees can go higher.
Take Bing, the harlequin Great Dane, cast as Apollo in the 2024 movie “The Friend” starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray.
It took two years and a nationwide search to find the perfect pooch for the role said William Berloni, the award-winning animal trainer and agent, who found Bing. Berloni, co-owner of Connecticut-based Theatrical Animals, also trained shelter dog Sandy for the original Broadway production of Annie.
“Bing matched the look and was socialized with people, which is highly unusual for his breed,” said Berloni. “He had exceptional training with his owner, herself a trainer and breeder. I told the writers and directors if you don’t hire this dog, I’m going to bring him back to New York and make money with him.”
What greatly contributed to Bing’s ‘top dog’ status in the movie was his ability to listen to people other than his owner.
“Naomi Watts allowed us to come to her house twice a day, for 20-minute sessions, four weeks before we started shooting. She became part of the training team. She and Bing have a real connection in the film,” said Berloni.