A petition calling for a movie dog to receive an honorary Oscar has sparked surprisingly intense debate online.
More than 43,000 people have signed a campaign supporting Indy, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retriever who starred in the low-budget indie horror movie, Good Boy, after the Academy ruled that animal actors are ineligible for acting awards.
Indy’s open letter, printed in Variety on Oct. 9, 2025, prompted some fans to cheer him—though others were far less charmed. Critics dismissed the petition as a PR stunt designed to promote the movie rather than improve conditions for animal performers in any meaningful way.
“Despite my critically acclaimed role in the recent film ‘Good Boy,’ — I have been deemed ineligible for the Best Actor category,” Indy wrote in the letter signed with his paw print. “This news feels as if someone has yanked my leash short, as apparently, I am not a good enough boy for you.”
Indy’s “Best Actor” petition is fast closing in on its initial target of 45,000 signatures. Support for his cause shows that plenty of people think the pup has what it takes to run with Oscars big dogs. “Give Indy his Oscar,” wrote one commenter on a TikTok video that featured Indy with his trainer.
But Reddit users responding to Indy’s request on r/Fauxmoi had a different reaction. Top commenters dismissed the letter as “corny” and dragged performative animal lovers.
“I actually think this kind of stunt is cloying and unproductive,” u/frogpersons wrote. “Perhaps we allow too much leeway to dog-lovers than to dogs themselves.”
“You said what I want to say but I’m a much nicer, appropriate way,” replied u/capcomvssnk.
It’s giving “dogs with instagram accounts”
u/cmaia1503 posted Indy’s open letter to r/Fauxmoi in early October 2025. The Reddit user included the full letter and wrote, “Indy, from ‘Good Boy,’ has penned a letter to members of the Academy asking them to consider nominating animals actors after he was deemed ineligible in the Best Actor category: “This news feels as if someone has yanked my leash short, as apparently, I am not a good enough boy for you.”
People on the thread dismissed the dog’s would-be Oscar as a corny PR stunt and criticized “pupperino” culture.
“Can’t stand performative animal lovers,” wrote u/ZaIIBach. “Or people who use their dogs as an extension of their ego,” added u/Papio_73.
“We need to stop appealing to the heckin doggo pupperino crowd,” wrote u/100percentapplejuice.
u/Crash_Bandicock pointed out, “It’s giving, dogs with instagram accounts.”
“People are dying, Indy,” u/Skeletome joked.
uLegosRCool commented, “smdh I bet he didn’t even write that.”
Others are like, “God forbid we have fun with a movie dog.” Sure, should Indy get an Oscar? You can decide for yourself.
@indycoinonsol Give Indy from “Good Boy” an oscar #goodboy #indy #dog #fyp #movie ♬ original sound – Indy
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