RKS Film: “Free Puppies”: And There is Always One More

This year I wrote a serialized novel “Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog”. Reggie was a small pet kept by his master Anwar in Cairo. Anwar was arrested for writing articles critical of the government and was never seen again. Reggie led a harrowing life on the street hunted down by animal control whose ideas about animal control were poisoning and shooting dogs. Reggie was attacked by another dog and found unconscious in the street and taken by an animal loving policeman to an animal shelter and survived later being transported to Canada to a happy life. So in writing about Reggie I had to be Reggie and feel his terror, anxiety and fear. So I connected with this documentary immediately. If you want to read about Reggie here is an early chapter https://setthebarlifestyle.wordpress.com/2021/07/20/reggie-the-egyptian-rescue-dog-my-life-in-egypt-a-childrens-story/

“Free Puppies” can mean there is no charge for a rescue dog or by taking them from unsafe and neglectful situations they are free. In Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee there are groups of ladies that rescue stray and neglected dogs and do their best to find homes for them whether it means driving vans full of them 16 hours to Wisconsin or putting them on a jet to Rochester.

I must hand it to the filmmakers for not making this a depressing and tawdry work that overwhelms the viewer with images of suffering. It is an informative film explaining why there is such a huge amount of rescue dogs in the southern United States. Much of the problem is caused by poverty and ignorance rather than intentional cruelty.

There are basic things you must do as a dog owner and do that you have a friend for life that is not simply a pet but a family member so if you are a dog owner that cares for your special canine charge this is a painful film that is bound to invoke anger.

The film is a tribute to these “rescue ladies” with their passion for offering dogs salvation. Spend some time with them and the message is clear spaying and neutering dogs is the answer and that is a matter of education that will avoid having to transport them en masse to safer states.

“Free Puppies” will be released on VOD/DVD in the United States and Canada on December 13.

A film by Samantha Wishman and Christina Thomas.

You can see the trailer here https://vimeo.com/769921775