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Each year, almost 5 million dogs end up in animal shelters - but not every dog is safe to place with a family. What if a shelter dog shows aggression, or is a known biter - should he be adopted out? For two years filmmaker Cynthia Wade was given unprecedented access to Rondout Valley Kennels and its controversial owner Sue Sternberg, and the result is an award-winning film about ethics in a morally ambiguous world. "What makes one want to keep watching is Ms. Sternberg's unflinching willingness to confront the problem of unwanted dogs, and the unflinching eye of Cynthia Wade, the film's director." The New York Times "A film well worth seeing... audience members will leave the theater with a renewed appreciation for these four-legged beings who give us so much, and with feelings of awe at shelter workers' commitment and ability to manage agonizing challenges every day." Marin Independent Journal "Astonishing... a stirring, emotional, irresistible portrait... unforgettable. One of the Ten Best Documentaries of 2003" The Boston Phoenix "A forceful message that every dog's life is a miracle." Orlando Weekly "Poignant and heartwarming" The Dallas Morning News "Powerful and provocative" BARK Magazine "Engrossing" TV Guide
Customer Review: Boxer Lover
I had seen this documentary playing on HBO and for a long time couldn't bring myself to watch it. I am barely able to go to the shelters now without crying or bringing home another animal. However, one night I decided to give Shelter Dogs a chance and am so glad I did. There were some scenes that really were hard for me to watch but I began to look at things a bit differently than I had before. I had been a supporter of the no-kill policy but after seeing how some of these animals have to live out their lives, I no longer think it is the answer. This film really touched my heart and I would recommend it to anyone who thinks they have already made up their mind on these issues.
Customer Review: dog's best friend
Filmmaker Cynthia Wade followed Sue Sternberg for two years as she worked in her Roundout Valley Kennels, in upstate N.Y., a shelter she had owned for eight years when this film was made, and runs with a small staff of dedicated workers and a shoestring budget. The dogs that are surrendered, for reasons varying from behavior problems to lack of time on the part of the owners, are loved and tended to, and those who are unadoptable, usually because of habitual biting, are euthanized. The shelter has a section of concrete kennels, and a limited number of little rooms, brightly painted and with pieces of dilapidated furniture, to make the dogs who are in for a long stay feel more "at home". It is heartwarming to see the dogs that get good homes, but in certain shelters that we are shown in this film, there is the inhumanity of the long term "no kill" policy that is spreading in this country. There are dogs that are permanently traumatized, and spend their lives in a small concrete and chain link cell. As an "animal person", I am horrified by the cruelty of keeping the "hopeless cases" alive in their misery, and this documentary describes the situation well. Sue Sternberg is a remarkable woman, as says that she must have been born with an "extra dog chromosome", having an intense affinity for canines since she was a small child. There are some wonderful old home films of her with assorted four-pawed friends, and she is seen at home, underneath a pile of her present fur family. Excellent photography and editing makes this award winning documentary essential viewing for anyone interested in animal welfare, and it is also enhanced by a nice score by Simon Gentry and Mark Suozzo. Total running time is 74 minutes.


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