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BACKGROUND!

In January of 2017, filmmaker Samantha Wishman helped her mom adopt a 10-pound miniature Poodle mix named Stuart Little over the internet. 

A week later she picked him up in a parking lot in Plainfield, Connecticut. He had traveled 1,216 miles from Tupelo, Mississippi loaded into a trailer with over 50 other dogs on their way to northern adopters.

Thinking it was a big journey for a small dog, made possible only by the great effort of many, dedicated people and organizations, she teamed up with filmmaker Christina Thomas to learn more about the story behind Stuart’s arrival.  

THE DOCUMENTARY!

We hope this documentary will raise awareness about the crisis facing stray and unwanted dogs and inspire personal and collective action to address it.  During the research phase of the project, we were introduced to Monda Wooten, an animal rescuer from Trenton, Georgia, the state with the highest euthanasia rate in the country. 

She invited us to visit her, and we did. Monda introduced us to a number of rescue organizations from the Tennessee-Alabama-Georgia tri-state area, such as Bow Wow Meow, a Paw and a Prayer, Sand Mountain Mutts and Pups, the Tri-State Humane Society, Trooper’s Treasures, as well as the Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga and McKamey Animal Shelter. 

Ruth Smith of Trooper's Treasures, Monda Wooten, Ann Brown of the Tri-State Humane Society, Christina Thomas, and Samantha Wishman

We went back this summer to shoot for four weeks. 

With FREE PUPPIES!, we hope to better understand the factors that contribute to the crisis of unwanted dogs in the South and the hard work that makes their new lives possible. 

THE PLAN!

We are asking for $15,000 to film the dogs we saw rescued in their adoptive homes ---

in Wisconsin, 

Philadelphia, 

and Chattanooga. 

We also want to spend two days filming the brothers below who take care of dogs that are regularly abandoned at the nearby dump -- 

With $15,000 we'll be able to pay for production of the above -- hire crew, rent equipment, book travel, bind insurance, and cover other expenses like gas and food (with directors/producers taking no pay and housing and a car generously donated to the cause). Upon completion, we'll submit FREE PUPPIES! to major film festivals and seek theatrical distribution.

And, please send this along to your dog-loving friends! 

MEET THE FILMMAKERS!

Sam and Christina met in college and worked together on the short film 'The Pitch.' Sam plays Hollywood agent who is mean to Christina, who is playing Sam (!).

Samantha Wishman 

Samantha Wishman is a Producer and Writer living in New York. Her first short film ‘The Pitch,’ which she wrote and produced, was named an official selection at LA Shorts, The Women’s International Film Festival, Palm Springs Shorts Fest, and the IFS Independent Filmmakers Showcase. Sam graduated with honors from Columbia Law School and is a member of the New York Bar. She is best friends with her dog, Billie, who was rescued while in her mom’s belly from the streets of Los Angeles. 

Christina Thomas

Christina Thomas is a Director, Producer and Actor living in Los Angeles, California. She has worked on numerous productions from commercials to feature films and is so excited to be working on her first documentary feature, Free Puppies!. Past work includes: Oildale, God's Lions, Night Catches Us and most recently Go Back to China. She enjoys giving equal attention to her dogs Harvey and Ruphus.