Movies can entertain us, get us thinking, trigger an emotional response. They can even deliver a powerful mesage that can change policy or spark legislative change. “Dogs Are People Too: A Four-Legged Civil Rights Movement” has the potential to do all those things.
The documentary, which had its US premiere earlier in the year at the Brooklyn Film Festival, features several stories. Two are law-related. This focus interested AFA and the Animal Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan and we thought it was a good opportunity to co-sponsor a screening.
…a kickoff point was when we realized that dogs in America are considered property. That language makes it so stark, and to the average dog owner it’s quite confusing to be told that what many people consider their four-legged child is a ‘thing.’ So a big part for us was to dive into the legal world and make it accessible to the non-legal community.
Hendrik Faller, director, November 4, 2024
Hendrik and Tom admit that they don’t have the answers. The film is not meant to have a simple answer. Their goal is to get people thinking and talking (even arguing) about what animals mean to us versus how they are seen in the law.
To that end, the film-makers are planning a US tour next spring. Using the Michigan screening as a template, they are focusing on screenings sponsored by animal law organizations.
The film features a program in Connecticut called “Desmond’s Law,” the first of its kind in the U.S. that authorizes the appointment of advocates to respresent an animal’s interest in criminal prosecutions involving that animal’s welfare or custody. In a stroke of good fortune, Rep. Stephanie Young introduced a bill in the Michigan Legislature just days before the screening, to establish a program similar to the Connecticut model show-cased in the film. Rep. Young attended the screening and participated in the Q&A.
You know that if it’s being screened by animal law organizations, it’s making a difference. You’re getting to the right people. You have the screening, you have a Q&A, you have a bit of food, you get people talking about it in the same room.
Tom Miller, Producer, November 4, 2024