Hobbit farm a ‘death trap’

Animal handlers involved in the making of The Hobbit film trilogy have said the production company is responsible for the deaths of up to 27 animals, largely because they were kept on a farm filled with bluffs, sinkholes, and other “death traps”.

The American Humane Association, which is overseeing animal welfare on the films, said no animals were harmed during the filming.

However, it said the handlers’ complaints highlighted shortcomings in its oversight system, which monitors film sets but not the facilities where the animals are housed and trained.