Pet shops: 10 great pet movies

The Incredible Journey

This tells the story of a young Labrador Retriever, an ageing Bull Terrier and a feisty Siamese cat who get lost while on vacation with their family. To make their way back home, they embark on a dangerous journey through the Canadian wilderness. This Disney classic is a true animal weepie—it's enough to send you straight to your local pet shop to buy a pussy or a pooch.

Ring of Bright Water

Graham Merrill falls in love with an otter in a London pet shop. The otter, called Mij, takes over his life and they leave for the Scottish Highlands, where he and Mij enjoy the magnificent countryside and leave the pet shop far behind. A beautiful relationship develops until tragedy strikes...

101 Dalmatians

Roger and Anita fall in love, as do their two Dalmations—Pongo and Perdita—and the dogs have puppies. Unfortunately, the fur-fancying Cruella DeVil visits their house rather than a pet shop and decides on a spotted addition to her collection.

Lassie Come Home

The Carraclough family is forced to sell their beloved dog Lassie, who gets transported 500 miles away to live in a remote castle in Scotland. Unhappy, she determines to return home. Can she make it? It might even inspire you to buy a collie from a pet shop.

Watership Down

This classic tale about a group of rabbits begins when Fiver tells his friends that their warren is in danger. The group go in a search of a new safe haven and face all kinds of dangers from other animals as well as humans and roads. Pet-shop bunnies never have this trouble.

Born Free

The true story of Joy and George Adamson, who raise a lion cub called Elsa and eventually release her back into the wild. Thankfully you can't buy dangerous animals in a pet shop!

Black Beauty

Anna Sewell's 1877 classic Autobiography of a Horse has been filmed at least half a dozen times. Black Beauty is a male horse born into a carefree youth on a farm, followed by tough days pulling cabs and a happier retirement in the country. As in all good animal movies, many valuable lessons are learned on the way by the people Black Beauty encounters.

Beethoven

A stressed-out dad is persuaded by his family to let them adopt a cute puppy, which grows into a giant, slobbering St Bernard that causes havoc and no doubt costs them a fortune at the pet shop. NB: smaller breeds that are much easier to keep are sold at many pet shops.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The Ninja Turtles live in the sewers, stuff their faces with pizza and learn martial arts from a giant rat. Some pet shops will sell you your own hero in a half-shell!

Turner & Hooch

This is the story of a control freak, played by Tom Hanks, who gives in to the chaos of living with a giant dog called Hooch. Fortunately, you can buy much more manageable canines from your local pet shop.