Oscar Snub for Uggie the Dog

Not since Rin Tin Tin has an animal of any species garnered this much consideration for an Academy Award. Uggie the dog, a 10 year old Jack Russel terrier, has set the internet ablaze with buzz over his being snubbed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His breakthrough performance in "The Artist", which is nominated for a total of 10 Oscars, has stirred up an old debate that goes back as far as 1929 - "should the Academy create a category reserved specifically for animal actors?"

Over 9,000 likes on Facebook, nearly 5000 followers on Twitter and his very own hashtag (#ConsiderUggie) would argue that Uggie and other well trained little friends of the sort do, in fact, deserve a fair shake at some hardware for their contributions on film. Unfortunately for Uggie the dog and his fans, it does not look like the Academy will recognize Uggie with so much as a "good boy". You see back in 1929, the Academy had decided that recognizing animals with an Oscar would only detract from the prestige of the award. "No shirt, no shoes, no service" I suppose. Fortunately, winning an Oscar does not factor in to a dog's bucket list. This happy little friend is satisfied with just being in the discussion. 

Cast of "The Artist" at the Golden Globe

Whether or not you see this as some poppy, flavor-of-the-month, slice of life story, Uggie the dog's performance and this recent hubbub will surely have stirred a surge in interest for the Russel Terrier breed. If you are among that number, think rescue, first, before you run with cash-in-hand to some short-sighted puppy miller.