Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Insightful, moving docu about rescuing dogs in the South.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Free Puppies!
What's the Story?
Christina Thomas and Samantha Wishman's documentary FREE PUPPIES! follows animal advocates/volunteers Monda Wootem, Ruth Smith, and Ann Brown as they travel through the South -- including rural areas of Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee -- to help spay, neuter, and rescue the region's overpopulation of stray or neglected dogs. The women work to transport and treat the dogs, many of which end up in foster or forever homes in the North. All three women drive thousands of miles a week to keep pups from ending up in overburdened shelters that euthanize dogs and to help impoverished dog owners understand the importance of getting their dogs spayed or neutered and on regular medication. The volunteers discuss the challenging and fulfilling aspects of their work.
Is It Any Good?
This warmhearted documentary shows how important the work these rescuers perform is, particularly in lower-income and rural areas of the Deep South. The filmmakers focus on the three volunteers but also provide interviews with animal rescue experts and nonprofit workers who respect and rely upon their work. Free Puppies! isn't always easy to watch, but the women and the filmmakers are empathetic about some folks' reasons for not spaying or neutering their dogs, which makes it easy for countless unintended extra litters to be born. The women also delve into the myriad reasons that politicians choose not to prioritize funding for animal control or shelters.
Occasionally, the documentary shows how difficult the lives of some dog owners can be, chronicling their circumstances without judgment. One memorable (and sad) sequence features two Vietnam veterans/brothers who live in a remote area with dozens of dogs, including several puppies, some of whom are flea-ridden. They love their animals but don't have the resources to care for them properly. While Free Puppies! isn't groundbreaking, it's touching and inspiring. Audiences with (or who love) dogs may be inspired to help make sure that small, grassroots organizations like the ones featured here have the resources they need to keep saving puppies.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why movies and documentaries about dogs are so popular. What did you learn from watching Free Puppies?
What are the documentary's messages about responsible pet/dog care?
How do the dog rescuers demonstrate compassion and empathy? Why are those important character strengths?
Discuss the difference between the way dogs are portrayed in this documentary and the way dogs are depicted in fictional narratives.
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 12, 2022
- On DVD or streaming : December 13, 2022
- Directors : Christina Thomas , Samantha Wishman
- Studio : First Run Features
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Activism , Animals
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Empathy
- Run time : 69 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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