The horses of the now-cancelled HBO show are just the latest victims in a long string of animal actor deaths.

National Lampoon

HBO's Luck, a drama about the horse racing circuit, has been cancelled in its first season after several horses were hurt and subsequently euthanized on set. According to a statement released by HBO, the third incident occurred when a horse being led back to its stable after filming "reared up, fell backwards and was injured." The network has denied accusations made by PETA that conditions were unsafe and has asserted that these types of incidents are common when dealing with horses.

Whether or not that's true, show business remains a dangerous place for animal actors. While poor working and living conditions the most common causes of animal death, an unfortunate few have met their end through brutal police action, self-asphyxiation, and even pre-meditated acts of murder. Here's a survey of animal stars who lost their lives in remarkable ways:

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