Free Puppies! premiered in New York City to critical and audience acclaim, and went on to play in independent theaters across the US and Canada. It is now widely available on major streaming platforms, through libraries, and on DVD. For bookings and licensing inquiries, please contact First Run Features.

— FREE PUPPIES! —

When Hurricane Katrina left more than 250,000 pets stranded, the infrastructure of a nation-wide dog rescue effort was born. Since then, millions of Southern rescue dogs have been transported to new homes thanks to the tireless efforts of a grassroots network of dog rescuers. And while the media has popularized the image of dogs climbing out of transport trucks into the arms of eager adopters in the North, little attention has been paid to the other side of the story.

FREE PUPPIES! travels across the country's cultural divide to uncover a chronically overlooked crisis that’s dogging the rural American South, where a dearth of public funding, high rates of poverty, lack of accessible spay and neuter, and a warm climate have led to an overwhelming influx of dogs with nowhere to go. The story follows rescuers Monda Wooten, Ann Brown, and Ruth Smith, and the network of independent “rescue ladies” who patrol vast rural counties in the Tennessee Valley to compensate for the lack of an operating animal shelter – rescuing over 20,000 dogs and taking matters into their own hands.

— THE FILMMAKERS —

Samantha Wishman

Samantha Wishman is a writer, director, and producer. After graduating from law school, she turned her interest in storytelling and social change from law to film. THE PITCH, a scripted short based on her experience pitching a feminist softball comedy in Hollywood, was an official selection at LA Shorts, The Women’s International Film Festival, Palm Springs Shorts Fest, and the IFS Independent Filmmakers Showcase. The idea for FREE PUPPIES! came when she helped her family adopt a rescue dog who was transported north from Mississippi.

Christina Thomas

Christina Thomas is a producer, director and editor from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduating from The University of Pennsylvania she moved to Los Angeles where she has worked on several productions including commercials, shorts and features. FREE PUPPIES! is her documentary directorial debut. She enjoys giving equal attention to her dogs Harvey and Ruphus.