In other words: A discussion of The Bush Administration
SHELTER DOGS - A documentary film by Cynthia Wade
Following our tradition of mentioning great but depressing films, I thought I'd recommend Shelter Dogs which will have its national TV premiere on HBO Tues. January 27 at 7:30pm EST. I went to the screening last night and there was many a tear during many parts. Excellent film.
from the site: Each day, hundreds of thousands of stray and unwanted dogs are born around the world. How society should care for these homeless animals -- many of whom end up at animal shelters -- is a controversial topic with significant humanitarian and public health implications.
...
Some of the dogs are immediately placed in wonderful, permanent homes. But there are also troubling moral dilemmas surrounding some of the "gray area" dogs. If a dog bites a shelter worker, is it ethical to adopt him out to the general public? If a dog guards his food, can he be trusted in a family with children? And what about the dogs that never find homes -- is it more humane to sentence them to a lifetime in the shelter or to euthanize them?
Site note (and off topic), what is it about human nature that makes people (in general) cry more for the suffering of an animal than a human? Is there some genetic pre-disposition to the original sin concept? i.e. the human isn't all good while an animal is pure? I always hear that in war you must dehumanize your enemy so you can kill them and still live with yourself, while in movies you have to dehumanize you character if you want a LOT of sympathy. How's that for unfair generalizations?
Oh, I guess I should disclose that I'm a friend of the director and of the co-producer, but that aside it is still a great film. Wow, does this mean this site has higher ethical standards than George Will?
- rob 12:17 PM - [PermaLink] -
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