Free Puppies

Millions of rescue dogs from the rural South have been transported to new homes thanks to the tireless efforts of a grassroots network of dog rescuers. 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.
“Free Puppies!” is the true story of where those dogs came from and the challenges facing a group of intrepid women rescuers working together to save them. The film reveals the factors that contribute to the rescue dog crisis in the first place, and shows how 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.