Join us each Monday in April for our Movie That Matters: Free Puppies! The film is shown in partnership with the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association, and we’ll have a discussion with KCHA on the 17th following the film. All proceeds from ticket sales are split 50/50 with WVIFF and KCHA.
Film Synopsis: Although transports have moved dogs from the South for decades, when Hurricane Katrina left more than 250,000 pets stranded, the infrastructure of modern pet transport for a nation-wide dog rescue effort was born. Since then, individual volunteers, transporters, shelters and rescue groups have created a movement to place millions of southern dogs in areas of the country with high demand for adoption but low supply. By following a group of women dog rescuers from Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, FREE PUPPIES! reveals the challenges that contribute to the rescue dog crisis in the first place. These women not only save dogs from euthanasia, but also organize affordable and accessible spay and neuter, reform local ordinances, advocate for humane education, and fight urgent and complex challenges facing underserved areas of the rural South.
What the critics are saying
“The film achieves its goal in raising awareness for these volunteer efforts, casting a spotlight on a chronically overlooked crisis.”
– Claire Shaffer, New York Times
“A grassroots documentary, Free Puppies! is an exemplary showcase of hope and perseverance, delivering a platform to those most in need.”
– Stephanie Archer, Film Inquiry
“A film for dog lovers, dog rescuers, and really anyone who can appreciate a simple, sentimental and inspirational documentary.”
– Richard Propes, TheIndependentCritic.com
