When Superman's dog becomes the real hero: Krypto boosts shelter adoptions by 500%
's reboot of the franchise. It was the dog. Yes,
the
dog. Krypto, the chaotic but lovable mutt who tags along in the film, has quietly emerged as the most influential character in the real world.
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He's scrappy and wild. Disobedient to the point of comic disaster. Krypto destroys anything put in front of him gear, gadgets, sometimes the plan itself. And when he
does
help save the day, it's usually unclear whether it's out of courage or pure dumb luck.
But whatever be its mannerism, he has come out as a great character and a trendsetter too. According to data from dog training app Woofz, there's been an explosion in interest around adopting dogs since Superman hit theaters.
"Adopt a dog near me" saw a staggering 513% spike in Google searches after opening weekend. The phrase 'rescue dog adoption near me' climbed by 163%. And that's not even the best part.
Krypto is chaos, loyalty, and a Schnauzer mix
Krypto may be animated, but his origins are deeply personal. James Gunn modeled the character after his own rescue dog, Ozu, adopted while the filmmaker was writing the script.
'I was struggling to train him and just thought, what if this little maniac had superpowers?' Gunn shared during a behind-the-scenes interview.
The idea stuck, and Ozu's quirky energy was digitally brought to our screens.
He looks like a Terrier-Schnauzer mix, which might explain why searches for 'adopt a schnauzer' rose by 299%, as per Woofz's report.
Even more remarkably, Warner Bros. partnered with Best Friends Animal Society to waive pet adoption fees between July 1 and 10 in honor of the movie's release. That effort led to 454 adoptions across the United States.
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The shelter group released a reel of families picking up their pups in Los Angeles, calling the collaboration a "surprise gift to hundreds of rescue dogs."
'Your dog won't fade like a box office bump'
While the adoption boom is something to cheer for, Woofz CEO Natalia Shahmetova issued a gentle reality check.
'Adoption is a real commitment. The hype will fade, but your dog will stay, so make sure you're ready to give them the time, care, and training they need and deserve,' she said in an official statement.
This isn't Gunn's first time stirring conversation about animal welfare through his films. In 2023, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was praised by PETA for its portrayal of animal testing's horrors. 'It was surprisingly emotional,' the group said at the time, calling it 'the most powerful anti-testing statement Hollywood's ever made.'
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