It stars a lovable dog named Clover and an adorable cat called
Oreo, it's hosted by David Duchovny of
X-Files fame, and
it could be coming to a station near you.
Best Friend
Forgotten, a compelling documentary that follows Clover and
Oreo through two different U.S. shelters, is slated to air on
PBS this fall. But the film needs your help to ensure that its
important message reaches your community.
Directed by American filmmaker Julie Lofton, Best Friend
Forgotten takes a behind-the-scenes look at the crisis of
pet overpopulation. The statistics are staggering: in every
community in America, dogs and cats by the hundreds and
thousands are left homeless through no fault of their own. Only
a fraction of these hopeful animals find good homes.
Clover and Oreo are two such hopefuls, examples of the kinds
of highly adoptable pets that make their way into U.S. shelters
every day. Clover was taken in from the streets of Los Angeles
while Oreo was found in a Chicago tenement building. After
being rescued by animal control officers, each is taken to a
local shelter.
Once there, Clover and Oreo face a heartbreaking
reality—less than half of the 6–8 million animals who enter
U.S. shelters each year are adopted. This is not for a lack of
trying. "Animal shelters provide care and, whenever possible,
loving homes for homeless pets. Too often, they must instead
provide a humane death. Due to a lack of appropriate resources,
a shortage of families looking to adopt, a constant influx of
unwanted animals from the community, and a lack of targeted
spay and neuter programs, millions of innocent animals are
euthanized annually," says Kate Pullen, The HSUS's Director of
Animal Sheltering.
This tragedy, however, is completely preventable. But only
if people become aware of the crisis. Lofton, a former stand-up
comedian, decided to get serious about the problem of pet
overpopulation after volunteering at a Los Angeles shelter
where she saw countless animals euthanized because of
overcrowded conditions. "The plague of pet overpopulation is
invisible to most people, and this movie will bring it home to
them," Lofton said in a prepared statement.
The film helps to spread the word by educating viewers and
inspiring them to take action. According to a press release,
Lofton's said, "My hope is that this movie will motivate people
to go to their local shelter and take home a loving animal
companion. For those who have dogs and cats at home, I hope the
film will encourage them to spay and neuter their pets."
Several celebrities have lent their support to the project.
Duchovny, most famous for his role as Fox Mulder on the
X-Files series, hosts the documentary, while Peter
Gabriel, former member of the band Genesis, has called the film
"a brilliant documentary that needs to be seen by anyone who
loves animals."
Despite Gabriel's rave, there's no guarantee that Best
Friend Forgotten will be seen in your area. Local PBS
stations have the option to add this documentary to their fall
line-up, since each station creates its own schedule based its
community's needs. In other words, it's up to the public to
help ensure that this film is shown nationwide.
The HSUS and shelters around the country are asking
animal lovers to call, write or e-mail their local PBS station
by July 23, 2004 to request that Best Friend Forgotten
be added to the fall line-up of programs. By the end of
July, local PBS stations will have made their final decisions
for the October line-up, so it's important to take action
now.
Animal lovers should also request that the film be aired
during the last week of October during prime viewing hours to
help kick off National
Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, which is sponsored by The
HSUS and planned for the first week of November. This week
recognizes the indispensable role that all animal shelters play
in maintaining the safety and health of a community, on behalf
of all its residents.
Spread the word about pet overpopulation! Follow these four
easy steps to help ensure that Best Friend Forgotten's
critical message reaches your community:
Step 1: Find your local station using the PBS Station Finder.
Step 2: Note your station's address, e-mail address
or phone number.
Step 3: Write, call or e-mail your station by July
23, 2004. Please mention that that the film is produced by RCD
Entertainment and distributed by PBS Plus. Writers can copy our
customizable letter.
Step 4: Pass this article on and encourage your
friends and family to take action!
