Dog who made a difference
Now, this is a moving, touching, and beautiful documentary. Initially based around the life of Gucci, a precocious 10-week old puppy who was intentionally set on fire in 1994, this film shows just how animal cruelty laws have been radically changed across the US by grass-roots efforts and those who care. Gucci lived to be 15 years old and received proper medical care and a loving forever home, and his plight inspired Alabama to enact new and stronger animal cruelty laws.
The cases behind other maimed, tortured, or murdered dogs are also examined here, alongside interviews with their caretakers and animal rights activists. It’s a harrowing film, and not one for the ultra-squeamish, of course, but it does bring a positive message ultimately, as since the cases here have come to trial, every state in the US now considers animal cruelty to be a felony, rather than a misdemeanor. That’s a big win for those of us who cherish our animal friends and housemates.
Director Berchard received the 2015 ASPCA Media Excellence Award, and rightfully so. “A Dog Named Gucci” shows that every individual who stands up for animal rights can indeed make a difference. And although there are still thousands of cases of animal abuse every year that go virtually unnoticed and unpunished, there are plenty of us who do stand up and fight for the rights of our Earthly brethren — canine, feline, or otherwise.
