Precautionary measures must be considered when you bring animals onto the stage, be it on a film set, TV studio, or live theatre production. There is an element of wonder that they can bring to the scene, however, animals are unpredictable and can be real scene stealers. There are many circumstances where a dog or cat can bring a warm feeling to a vignette, or a cowboy on a horse can set the scene for realism, however, even a fish tank full of miniature carp can present complications if not carefully managed. Want a circus scene or an authentic Indian wedding? Elephants can make for big entrances, and big messes.

When the blues rock band ZZ Top first took ‘Worldwide Texas Tour’ on the road they had a stage shaped like the state of Texas decked-out with live longhorn steers, buffalo, javelinas, tarantulas, black vultures, and diamond back rattlesnakes roaming about (well, not free range roaming, mind you). Think carefully about your casting call.

In most cases expert advice will be needed about the specifics of the production but there are some basic points to consider:

• Where practical, risks should be eliminated or minimized. This can be done by selecting animals which present the least risk to each-other and/or the audience, performers, and crew. Further risk reduction can be , or by containing or restricting the animal when they are not actively involved with the show. Back stage can be a confusing place with dim light, strangely costumed people, and the other crew members may not be watching where they are relative to the animal talent.
• People should always be told in advance if they are to work with animals so they have an opportunity to say if they have allergies or phobias. Keep a record of staff interviews on this subject.
• Obtain performing animals from a reputable handler should reduce the risks of the animal carrying any disease.
• Everyone involved should be properly briefed on risks and control measures. Feeding arrangements or instructions not to feed should be clearly posted and announced at crew meetings. If there is a need to avoid disturbance or ruckus, this should also be posted. Emergency instructions should also be posted and copied to the Stage Manager so that it is clear who to call and what to do in case of an emergency.
• Animals can cause infections that threaten pregnancy. In particular, pregnant women should not enter areas in which mammals have recently given birth.
• You may need to have a minimum number of people to manage an animal, but everyone else should be kept well clear of the handling area. The larger the animal, the more space they will need both in the animal ‘green room’ and in the normal place they are housed when not immediately involved with the show.
• Animals can be provoked to attack by disturbance or discomfort. Take advice about the animal's needs, provide food, water, and suitable temperature. It may be necessary for the animal to be held in a quiet place until it is needed.
• Keep the length of time animals are required to a minimum. Rehearse the item last and perform it first whenever possible. If a retake is necessary do this immediately. A tired animal may become more difficult to work with and control.
• Material such as hay or straw used in studios or on stage should be fireproofed or treated with a fire-retardant. This would likely be toxic for the animals, so arrangements may have to be made for untreated material with alternative fire precautions set in place. After each show it is advisable to vacuum-out floor pockets and other niches around the stage that may have gathered hay or other animal droppings.
• If animal urine could get into floor pockets or other electrical connections, then see that these circuits are disconnected (Lock-Out-Tag-Out) while the animals are present. Be aware that heavy animals can crush and break the insulation on wiring and connectors, so these items should be kept out of the travel path of the animal. If they cannot be relocated, then using heavy-duty cable covers / ramps to cover / enclose them is recommended.
• In order to minimize hygienic risks, animals should be handled no more than necessary and always with at least basic hygiene - wash after handling them, and especially before eating meals. Protective clothing such as gloves and overalls may be required. When bites and scratches can be expected it may be necessary to ensure that those exposed have adequate immunity to tetanus - seek advice from a veterinarian.
• Make provisions for first aid. Unless they are life-threatening, bites and scratches should be encouraged to bleed, washed with clean water, and then dressed. The casualty should then have medical attention. Where there is the possibility of exposure at a distance from medical facilities, specific antidotes may be required for hazards such as snake bites, but this option should be considered carefully.
• Make provisions for protecting costumes. Animals can chew, spit, drool, and leave many other types of messes on fabrics, so applying water-repellant treatments to ‘likely candidates’ can be a good precaution. If animals might chew-off buttons or jewelry, then take extra care to secure them against removal.
• Other personnel protective equipment (PPE) to consider is steel toed shoes if working around livestock like horses, mules, donkeys, asses, elephants, camels, and cattle. These are very heavy animals and if they step on your foot they can crush it.
• Cleaning-up after animals is very important as the feces and urine can both carry bacteria and strong odors. Make sure that there are provisions immediately on-hand to clean-up leavings as soon as is practical. Make sure that there is a sealable pail to deposit the clean-up materials into until they can be disposed-of. The clean-up tools should be scrubbed-down and disinfected daily, and the leavings should be removed from the area promptly. Throwing them in the trash may not be permissible under local law, so check to see where you can deposit them.
  
  Another reason to effect clean-up quickly is that this can present a serious slip and fall potential to other performers on stage. As vaudeville entertainers once advised new performers seeking advice about entering show business: “Never follow and animal act!”

Tell us about your favorite animal acts! Or mishaps.