Posted on: May 19, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

Take out Kevin Bacon, the narrator, from the mix. Does New Orleans Animal Rescue still touch whomever watches it? The answer is yes; what Luke Heppener (director) does here is nothing short of ordinary. While it would be a slam dunk for any hack producer to show pictures of animals to tug on viewer’s heartstrings, Heppner is able to tell a story that goes beyond the animals that are saved and expands the focus into something larger.

The story starts out with Hurricane Katrina, still seen as one of the most deadly storms to ever touch base in the United States. Where a number of news stations looked at the massive numbers of humans that were made homeless by the hurricane, there was a lack of focus on the animals of those individuals, and what exactly would have to be done to ensure their continued health and even survival. Where there were a number of different relief efforts that work with varying levels of efficacy, the animal rescue movement seemed to be working on all cylinders.

Where there were losses that could not have been prevented, this movement reunited thousands of different pets with their owners, regardless of the distance or difficulty encountered with the endeavors. This documentary tells the story of this movement, and the packaging by Passion River goes a step further and showcases both film and photographs showing the damage that this movement had to contend with. If you would like to learn more about a movement that really was not given the proper press when it was doing its job, just purchase a copy of New Orleans Animal Rescue.

You will be glad that you did.

Rating: 8.0/10

New Orleans Animal Rescue (DVD) / 2009 Passion River / 84 Minutes / http://www.neworleansanimalrescue.com

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