WILD DOG - Animal Welfare Campaign film

WILD DOG, the independently produced documentary film by award winning filmmaker Riaan Hendricks is scheduled to go into post production(editing) from 6 Feb 2012. The film tells the story of Animal Welfare groups and their struggle to preserve the lives of unwanted companion pets stemming from an over population crisis. The film is born out of the need to create awareness around the value and responsibility of sterilization and neutering. Failure to do so contributes to the hundreds of thousands of cats and dogs euthanized by animal welfare groups in South Africa every year.
The 7 minute trailer of the film can be viewed at http://vimeo.com/33030987.
"What makes the story moving and engaging is the compassion with which such emotionally demanding work is done. One early morning, with the coffee still hot and setting up my camera for the day's filming, I had an informal chance to screen the trailer to the staff on a laptop. There was silence. Then there were tears. The struggle to keep neglected and unwanted companion animals alive has never really been expressed in this depth. There were no graphic images. It's just the burdensome emotion of being human and having to take responsibility for other people's wrong choices.
The only reason I could make such a moving film, was the access and the trust with which I was allowed to observe the Animal Welfare Society and its inspectors doing their daily work." says film director Hendricks.
"It's an independent film - so it has been a real struggle to make it. I need help to cover costs. Especially for the next month - when editing starts. The film is not funded. You call up friends, colleagues, people who owe you favors. They help where they can. But I am R 30 000 short to finish the film in the next month. I need help."
Upon completion, the film will be made freely available to organizations and community groups who are already doing animal welfare outreach work, or would like to start by using this video as a tool.
Riaan can be contacted at riaandh@hotmail.com or 078 355 4350.