Emmerdale releases new film about dog Piper after backlash over abuse storyline

Note: The following article discusses topics such as domestic violence, coercive control, and animal cruelty.

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Emmerdale has released a new video of Piper’s dog after backlash over the abuse story.

In the final scenes, Tom King turned his attention to Piper after he abused his wife Belle, and the villain cruelly poisoned a dog in an attempt to release Belle from a mental health crisis center.

However, the plot was met with harsh reactions, with fans complaining about the delicate nature of the scenes. The government regulator Ofcom received over 300 complaints in response to the storyline.

Related: Emmerdale star Jonny McPherson confirms the end of Liam and Ella

After previously assuring viewers that Minnie, the dog playing Piper, was not injured during the filming of the scenes, the series released another video via X/Twitter to ease fans’ concerns.

“Some scenes can be depressing to watch, but on the set of #Emmerdale Minnie (aka Piper) is treated with nothing but love and lots of hugs,” reads the caption, which shows actor James Chase interacting with Minnie.

Chase, who joined the ITV soap as Tom last year, recently opened up about the emotional storyline, saying: “I love playing villainous roles and this is definitely the hardest one I’ve ever played. Some scenes, like the dog being injected, weren’t… I really didn’t like it, and that’s a good sign.”

Related: Emmerdale star Ash Palmisciano reveals the aftermath of a knife plot

Ofcom revealed it had received 313 complaints about the scenes that took place last Monday (May 27), but stressed that “the number of complaints received is not indicative of the seriousness of the problem.”

The soap has already addressed the complaints in a post that said: “Watching these scenes may be depressing, but we want to remind you that Minnie (aka Piper) is a very good actress and always lives her best life on set! We can confirm that she was not harmed in any way.”

Emmerdale aired weekdays at 7.30pm on ITV1 and streamed onwards ITVX.

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If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, organizations including Refuge (www.refuge.org.uk), peer support for new beginnings (www.newbeginningspersupport.com) and Help for Women (www.womensaid.org.uk) can provide further support and information. 24/7 free telephone National Domestic Violence Hotline it’s 0808 2000 247. USA National Domestic Violence Hotline to 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text LOVEIS to 22522.

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