"We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made." - M. Facklam

Lost Dogs is a project aimed at radically alleviating the suffering of the world's 600 million homeless dogs. At the center of the project is a compelling documentary focused on the lives of Chilean street dogs - a microcosm of the big picture. The film is the catalyst for a mass movement to end pet homelessness through a 3-fold solution: Educate. Adopt. Sterilize. It really is that simple.

Lost Dogs is about life on the streets for Chile's more than three million stray dogs.  Inspired by the hero dog, the film documents courage and compassion in some of the most unlikely places and strives to bring empathy back to a disconnected world.  But Lost Dogs is more than a documentary, it's a movement!  

If you're here, it's because you care.  When you donate to Lost Dogs, you'll be supporting not only the completion of the film (and the broadest distribution possible), but also on-the-ground outreach, starting in Chile.  We seek to honor the hero dog by making a significant impact on the world that he inhabits.  More than 30% of our budget goes toward outreach -- educating people about the importance of adoption and sterilization and providing much-needed resources to the extraordinary activists working tirelessly to find loving homes for Chile's stray dogs.

We are a 501(c)3 registered non-profit.  That means, any donation you make to our project is 100% TAX-DEDUCTIBLE in the United States.

There are more than 600 million homeless dogs on the planet and they need your help.  If we work together, we have a chance to save them.  If not now, then when?  Please consider donating today and being a part of our movement. For the dogs!

One small act can change the world.

A dog captures the world’s attention by performing a death-defying and heroic act. The incident, caught on a highway surveillance camera in Santiago, Chile, shows the dog dodging speeding cars and trucks while using his paws to pull the body off the highway.  

Inspired by such immensity of selfless courage, I – Vanessa Schulz, independent filmmaker – am determined to honor the hero dog with this film and related actions taken. So I borrow enough money for a two-month plane ticket to Chile and set a date before my fear can paralyze me. I am terrified. I don’t speak Spanish, my camera is breaking, I am unclear on the film’s story, I have hardly any money, yet something is driving me to go.

My intention is to explore the world of the street dogs, to find out how they live, as well as how they die. With this film I want to draw global attention to Chile’s 2.5 million strays, and by extension the world’s 600 million homeless dogs. Why? Because they suffer in unspeakable ways, and because their suffering is a direct reflection on who we have become as a "civilized society."

Dogs were bred to be dependent on humans so that they could be manipulated into doing what we want: being our loyal companions, our herding dogs, guide dogs, war dogs, police dogs, rescue dogs, racing dogs, fighting dogs, show dogs, therapy dogs, sled dogs, guard dogs, tracking dogs, hunting dogs and so on. We stripped them of every survival skill with which nature endowed them. What then are the implications of their abandonment?  

To answer these questions, I researched western industrial culture largely through the work of author/activist/philosopher, Derrick Jensen. Derrick helped me realize my vision, which is to have the audience see themselves in the dogs. To collectively solve the problem of homeless pets is to solve the cultural epidemic of apathy and the illusion of separateness. Empathy is the solution.

Empathy – the ability to feel the feelings of another – leads to compassion, which is inherently active. This leads to adequate funding for programs to treat, sterilize and give homes to every abandoned dog in the world, instead of locking them in gulags where they are strangled or anally electrocuted in full view of each other (Mexico); drowned by the dozen per cage or beaten, skinned alive and processed in full view of each other (Asia); poisoned with Strychnine (Chile and many parts of South America); or caged and injected (euphemistically named “put to sleep”) at a rate of 10,000 per day (USA)… the list goes on.

Lost Dogs offers solutions to a culture that desperately needs to turn towards atrocities – perpetuated by silencing and denial – in order to transform them. It does so through the inspirational human characters I met on my travels in Chile, as well as the unforgettable dogs who became characters in the film, seven of whom I brought back to the United States and adopted into loving, forever homes.  The “Lucky Seven” inspired the adoption of a dozen more, and I know when the film is released, it will inspire thousands more. As the saying goes, “Saving one animal may not change the world, but surely, for that one animal, the world will change forever.” We start here, and together we grow.

In this way I will honor the hero dog, who was never found but whose legacy will live on, proving in no small measure that courage is contagious, and that one dog can make a difference. So can you.

Please join me in honoring the hero dog by helping me with a donation to finish production, promote and distribute Lost Dogs. Thank you! 

No contribution is too small.

Lost Dogs is about giving a voice to the voiceless.  Already the Chilean government has contacted us to find out what this is all about. Your financial support shows officials that We The People care about this issue. You support us, we get their ear, and humane solutions can be made law. Our window is now.

There are isolated groups of volunteers, veterianarians and activists all over the world struggling to rescue the homeless dogs in their country, or at least stop them from being violently killed. Across the board, they are grossly underfunded. This film is a way to give those people a voice and a tool to raise awareness and funding for their own organizations.

Making a feature-length film is a huge endeavor.  Even the most modest documentaries can cost upwards of $500,000.  The cost is not only in producing but in marketing, distribution and outreach. We want to keep this in the public eye for as long as possible, in as many countries as possible. We have the skills and commitment, what we need is funding. 

1. Donate.  Every little bit counts - as little as a dollar can make all the difference! 

2. Connect with us.  Receive important updates about the film, read stories about the dogs, and keep in touch with the Lost Dogs team.

       - Like us on Facebook and download one of our cover photo banners to show your support during our campaign. (Find these in our Gallery and on our Facebook page.)

       - Connect with us on Twitter

3. Check out our blog for updates about our project and ways you can get involved.

4.  Tell everyone you know about Lost Dogs!  Making Lost Dogs a success is up to all of us - together we can do it!

Because compassion resonates.

Immediate, visceral, faithful to the facts, there may be no more powerful medium than film.  Here, visuals speak a language all their own.  The situation acted out before your eyes is undeniable.  The best documentaries have always had the ability to galvanize forces and open minds, giving every viewer a window to a world they might not have noticed before. 

And because film moves beyond the written word, everything on the screen becomes both alive, and personal.  Each viewer feels somehow intimately involved.  Invested in the stories being told.  And almost palpably, physically drawn in.  Compassion resonates through film because it inspires such debate, such passion, and such action.  We watch and realize that responsibility isn't up to someone else: it's up to every one of us. 

Great films become a catalyst for change.  They inspire not simply words but actions that make a difference in the world.  By supporting Lost Dogs, you can be part of this change for the better.

By contributing to our campaign, you will be part of ensuring that Lost Dogs is a success!  Here's how we plan to make that happen.

Complete the film.

Production, editing, and post-production consumes a great amount of time and money to ensure that the film is both artistically and technologically sound.

Funding will help us to complete production, pay for post-production expenses like producing, packaging, and distributing 1,000s of DVDs, professional color correction and audio mixing, music licensing, and film outreach.

(Check out our perks to find out how you can get your own copy of film!) 

Secure the Soundtrack.

Great film music creates the fluid dance between image and sound.  Vanessa has chosen an incredible soundtrack for Lost Dogs, for which we'd like to be able to secure the licensing rights.  We must obtain publishing and master sound rights for each track selected - which can add up!

Tell the World.

Consider the average marketing budget of a Hollywood blockbuster - upwards of US$75 million. And that's just for advertising! We're asking for a lot less, but if anyone wants to help us overshoot our goal, that money goes immediately into marketing and outreach where we stand the greatest chance of creating real change for the dogs. This film has the potential to inspire all who see it toward greater compassion and action for the welfare of all. We want to make it available to the largest audience possible.  

Here's how we plan to do that:

- Enter the film into the most important film festivals, as well as a few small ones, for a full 18-month cycle (minimum). Our costs include entry fees and Vanessa's attendance at some of those festivals in order to speak on the issue and garner further support that keeps it in the public eye. Personal attendance also helps us increase our chances of obtaining broadcast and/or theatrical distribution.  

- Vanessa will be available for television, newspaper and magazine interviews, online chats, presentations in person and via Skype at educational institutions, conferences, festivals and screenings.

- Additional editing to create short teaser videos to help peak interest in the film, keep people interested, and continuously expand our audience. 

- Create an interactive online campaign to build a Lost Dogs community that spans the globe. Two million people watched the hero dog video on YouTube. We give them a platform to act on that in ways that make a real difference.  People not only learn about the project, the issue and feasible solutions, but they also connect with likeminded people to deal with the crisis of homeless pets in a cohesive and proactive way.

Reaching Out.

A large component of the Lost Dogs project is outreach. With the film as a catalyst, this is a chance to connect with people who care, but don't know what to do or how to help and to strengthen the work of people already helping to alleviate the problem.

Through the film's production company - 21st Paradigm, a non-profit incorporated since February 2001 - we will create an online outreach campaign to facilitate the following:

- Adoptions of companion animals through reputable organizations in Chile and abroad.

- Connecting with other organizations/individuals doing incredible work for animals such as spay/neuter campaigns and working to make cruelty a punishable offense.

- Marketing and distributing Lost Dogs to the largest, global audience possible, which must include viewers in rural areas where most of the animal abuse and neglect is an unquestioned status quo. Another priority is reaching educators and youth in schools, colleges and universities. More funds means more ears and eyeballs, more hearts to open!

The Perks!

Everyone who donates becomes part of the Lost Dogs community on our website! We have some amazing gifts donated by generous folks from all over the country, including Vanessa... Read on!

Can I contribute without selecting a reward, or contribute an amount other than those listed in the perks section? 

Yes, just click on the red button located below the amount we have raised so far that says "Contribute Now."  This will take you to our list of perks where you will find the "No Perk, just a Contribution" option at the bottom of the list.  Here, you can enter any amount you want and by not requiring anything in return, you help us stay focused on finishing the film.

Can I contribute if I don't live in the United States? 

Absolutely! You can donate to Lost Dogs no matter where you live. We have lots of friends in Chile and around the world and welcome everyone to be a part of this project.  All donations will be converted into US currency.

Is my donation tax-deductible?

If you are donating in the United States, YES! The production company, 21st Paradigm Films, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  Payments are processed through a third party called FirstGiving.  You will receive an email from FirstGiving confirming the tax-deductible status of your contribution.  If you need an additional receipt, we will gladly send you one.

Vanessa Schulz, Producer/Director/Writer/Editor/Camera

A life-long photographer propelled by her passion for wildlife, Vanessa began making films in 1995 after attending Cape Town Film & Television School. She immigrated to America to gain experience as producer and cameraman for NBC, Fox Television and National Geographic. She was assistant producer on Discovery Channel’s Wolves at our Door, winner of two Emmy awards.

This experience allowed Vanessa to see the level of bias and censorship applied by corporate, mainstream networks, which she feels is responsible for the shocking decline in ethical treatment of animals. As a result, she founded 21st Paradigm Films in 1998 and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in February 2001.

Lost Dogs will be Vanessa’s seventh independent documentary. Her two most controversial films – Cost of Freedom (an exposé on the federal reintroduction of wolves in the lower 48) and Cull of the Wild: The Truth behind Trapping – have garnered twelve prestigious awards (including multiple “Best of Festival” and “Best Documentary” awards) and 24 official film festival selections.

Anthony Tanaka, Development

Anthony has worked with 21^st Paradigm Films since 2004. His broad range of expertise in advertising, graphic design, illustration, production management, identity creation, web design and flash have been an integral part of 21^st Paradigm’s development. Additionally, Anthony offers his experience in promotion and social networking by constantly redefining 21^st Paradigm’s online presence and outreach strategy.

Natalia Bradley, Production Assistant

When the going gets tough, volunteers get going. In other words, they quietly disappear. Except for Natalia. She knows what it takes to make a film – you can never give up. That equates to follow-through on tasks and saving the producer’s time, making her an enormous asset to any production team. An anthropology graduate from the University of North Carolina, Natalia has a particular interest in Latin America cultures. In 2006, she carried out an independent ethnographic research project and is currently producing the associated short film about a clandestine and political artist collective under the 1980s Pinochet regime. This has given her an intimate knowledge of Chile, an invaluable skill for the making of Lost Dogs and the requisite international communiqué. 

David Gómez, Fixer/Translator

David lives in Chile and is an instrumental part of the Lost Dogs project. As a fixer in Santiago, he helped to coordinate local volunteers and logistics during production and rescue of the seven dogs returning to the States – no easy task! His continued volunteer work is now mostly in research, and correspondence between English and Spanish. David translates, interprets and teaches English in Santiago. He has been involved in animal rights campaigns for five years, which include campaigns against animal testing, animal circuses, whaling, education on veganism, and combating the stray animal crisis. Currently he is working in Coalición por los Derechos Animales, in the research and education areas of a campaign against vivisection. He will be an important asset to Lost Dogs during outreach and distribution in Chile. 

Volunteers

Michelle Ellena, Justin Kravitz, Therese Mercer, Trish Krayeski, Inti Duran, Jazmin Silva Monardes, Erica Boismenu, Carol Linacre, Gabriela Jarpa, Misha Dickersen and others.