Rescue Me Documentary
In 2005, over 20,000 dogs and cats were brought into the Austin, TX animal shelter. Thanks to rescue volunteers 1800 (9%) of them found new homes.
The rest were humanely killed.
After learning that over 20,000 animals are euthanized in Austin, Texas every year,
Stacy Schoolfield volunteered to foster abandoned animals in her home. This film chronicles her experience, taking viewers
straight to the heart of pet overpopulation’s causes and complexities and examines the costs to individuals
and the community. "Rescue Me" invites viewers to meet rescue volunteers, learn what motivates and challenges
them, and experience the highs and lows of volunteering – from the satisfaction of matching a foster animal
with an adoptive family to the disturbing numbers of adoptable companion animals killed every day due to
overpopulation. The subjects, including writer-songwriter-politician Kinky Friedman, all speak to the
societal costs of our “disposable” culture’s lack of stewardship toward animals. They point out,
that fixing the problem of pet overpopulation and abandonment is bigger than one volunteer, or a
small army of volunteers can fix.
In Austin, TX, over 20,000 homeless dogs and cats are killed (humanely euthanized) each year. At least 50% of
those are not strays; their owners brought them to the shelter because they no longer wanted to care for them.
Nationwide, the number of euthanasias is estimated at over 5 million dogs and cats. Many people see their pets
as disposable and discard them when they're no longer convenient. I thought by rescuing animals from the shelter
and finding them new homes, I could make a difference. Over a period of two years I fostered and rehomed over
50 dogs. During that time, I changed my mind. I made this film to explain why.
The goal of this project is not to show the dark, sad side of animal overpopulation. It is to show that the
problem is too big for one person to solve and hope lies in a society that is educated and informed about
the problem. I want audience members to come away from this film with a greater awareness of the problem
of animal overpopulation, with a motivation to be part of the solution.
- Stacy Schoolfield
WARNING: There are a lot of scam websites that indicate you can view or download the Rescue Me Documentary. Make sure your anti-virus is up to date as these websites will attempt to download malware onto your computer that will steal your personal information or hold your files to ransom!
 Rescue ME (2005) - Produced and Directed by Stacy Schoolfield
 IMDb entry for Rescue Me and Trailer
 Stacy Schoolfield's blog
Until There Are None | Dog Rescue Documentary
(20 mins)
This documentary follows a group of volunteers from
Rogers' Rescues
as they travel to overcrowded rural animal shelters in West Virginia and Kentucky to rescue dogs before they are euthanized.
Rogers' Rescues
is a network of dog rescue volunteers spread from New Jersey to Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Animal Welfare Organizations Featured in Rescue Me
 Town Lake Animal Center
is the largest animal shelter in Central Texas, providing shelter to more than 23,000
animals each year and animal control services to all of Austin and Travis County. A division of the Austin/Travis
County Health and Human Services Department, the shelter is an open-intake facility - no animal will be turned away.
 German Shepherd Rescue of Central Texas
strives to save German Shepherds and German Shepherd mixes from neglect, abuse, and premature death. We give
rescued dogs a chance to have the good life they deserve through rescue, adoption, referrals, and behavior
counseling. We do not sell dogs. We adopt intelligent, sensitive beings into homes where their personalities
and potential will be valued.
German Shepherd Rescue of Central Texas is a non-profit organization run by volunteers. Equipment and
supplies are purchased using the personal funds of our volunteers, or are donated or purchased using
contributions and adoption fees. If you would like to contribute,
please click here.
 Animal Trustees of Austin, Inc. (ATA) is a non-profit animal welfare organization. ATA was founded by concerned
citizens desiring to help lost, abused and abandoned animals in Austin and surrounding counties. ATA is made up of staff and
volunteers united by one common interest - the welfare of the animals.
Spay and neuter surgeries are performed by appointment at the Animal Trustees of Austin Spay/Neuter Clinic.
Patients are discharged on the same day as surgery.
 EMANCIPET
envisions a world where no cat or dog is ever killed just for being homeless.
We work towards realizing that vision every day, by providing services and advocacy that effectively
and humanely reduce the homeless pet population in our community.
 Austin Feral Cats
Feral cats are domestic cats that have become unaccustomed to human contact. They live in groups (or colonies)
almost anywhere - behind restaurants and shopping malls, under houses, in alleys, beneath piles of brush —
maybe even in your own neighborhood. Most have never experienced positive human interactions.
These animals live on the fringes of human society anywhere there is food and shelter.
If Travis County has 330,000 cats, then almost half of them—that's at least 135,000—are unowned, unculturated,
breeding, free-roaming cats who avoid people, and scrounge for food and a place to sleep.
They're reproducing rapidly! Just two reproducing feral cats can become 12,000 in just five years,
and the Austin-area animal control facilities kill an average of more than one animal each hour,
24 hours a day, 365 days a week. While sterilization rates of owned animals have increased
(as guardians sterilize their own pets), feral populations grow by leaps and bounds.
To achieve the city and county's no-kill goals, we need to address the feral problem as a community.
The Animal Trustees of Austin are no longer operating Austin Feral Cats. For more information on feral cats in Austin see
The Austin Humane Society Feral Cat Program.
Our mission is to assist animals in need through rescue, rehabilitation and education. We currently have over
300 animals from over 100 different species at the Zoo. Last year, over 200,000 people visited Austin Zoo.
Over 45,000 were students and teachers visiting on field trips. Austin Zoo & Animal Sanctuary is a pleasant
Hill Country zoo where the people of Austin can come to learn about the animals close-up, spend some time
outdoors getting exercise, and have fun. It’s a place where we Austinites can truly make the most of our time together.
Austin Zoo is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit organization, and we rely on private donations, gate admissions,
grants and sponsorships to continue to care for the animals we have, and to be able to take in new animals that
need a safe home
 Saint Bernard Rescue of Texas Austin/Houston area, TX.
The Saint Bernard Rescue Foundation of Texas is the Texas chapter of the National Saint Bernard Rescue Foundation, which is the rescue arm of the AKC Saint Bernard Club of America.
70,000 puppies and kittens are born in the United States every day. That is 7 times more than the number of humans.
Only 1 out of 4 of them will find a home.
Nationwide, approximately 5 million homeless dogs and cats are killed in shelters every year because they have no home to go to.
That is an animal being killed every 6½ seconds. Half of these had a home before they ended up on death row.
You can help! Adopt your pet from a Rescue or Shelter and make sure it does not breed!
 Save The Shelter Pets Hundreds of dogs and cats are killed every week because they have no home to go to!
 Chow Chows Needing Homes in Texas
 Cocker Spaniels Needing Homes in Texas
 Pets Needing Homes in Houston, Texas
Shelter Diaries - Dogs Needing Homes at the Animal Shelter in Irving, Texas
E-Mail address: webmaster@rescuemedocumentary.com
Page updated: March 27th 2023
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