For the Animals

With catastrophic numbers of stray dogs roaming the streets of Houston TX, twin activists and philanthropists Tena Lundquist Faust and Tama Lundquist lead the charge and take matters into their own hands to save the animals they love. As more and more strays plague the city causing a public health crisis and attacking its residents, the sisters take to the streets for a hands-on approach. There are too many citizens not caring for their pets and this problem has gone unchecked for decades, resulting in the worst animal crisis the city and county have seen. Through community outreach, direct work with local shelters and stray dog “feeders,” the sisters rescue strays right off the street, run weekly programs to provide free spay and neuter services to the community and work with politicians to take on the dark practices of Houston’s largest shelters that euthanize due to overcrowding. This was all exacerbated by COVID and the new policy of “managing the animal intake/limiting animal intake” in the shelters. As Tena and Tama seek to create a better life for the animals they love, they fight to prove that it takes just one person caring to make a difference. Although For The Animals is set in Houston, it reflects the same issues cities across the U.S. face where approximately 6.3 million companion animals enter shelters yearly, according to the ASPCA. The film highlights both the grassroots efforts and the multiple animal welfare organizations struggling with the complex nature of solving this overwhelming issue where lack of resources and local bureaucracy each play a role.