Disney has come under fire from animal welfare campaigners for showing a disturbing scene in a classic sci-fi film which features a real rat being forcibly submerged in liquid.
The RSPCA has slammed the streaming giant for broadcasting the infamous scene in The Abyss – James Cameron's 1989 underwater thriller – where a live rodent is seen struggling as it is dunked into a tank of fluorocarbon liquid.
The distressing footage had previously been cut from all UK screenings by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), which ruled it breached animal cruelty laws.
But now the controversial clip is available in full on Disney+, sparking outrage from Britain's biggest animal charity.
David Bowles, the RSPCA's head of public affairs, said: 'The RSPCA is really concerned that a loophole currently exists allowing animal abuse scenes deemed unacceptable elsewhere to be streamed freely and legally into our homes.
