We Don't Deserve Dogs (2020) User Reviews

Travelogue with dogs, touches on some disturbing things

[dunnc-92822 · 10/10 · 1 February 2022]

I highly recommend this film. It will take you to Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America and show you how people of different cultures relate to dogs.

Do we, as humans, deserve to have dogs in our lives? Depending on where you go, dogs give emotional support, herd sheep, find rare truffles, or hang out in pubs. Some cultures pamper "community" dogs; others neglect strays.

Other reviews have criticized this film unfairly due to a segment filmed in Vietnam, where some people view dogs as livestock - as a food source. This is presented realistically but not for shock value. We do not see the moment a dog is slaughtered for food, but we do see a carcass and meat being prepared. The film reveals a puzzling duality; in Vietnam, people view some dogs as beloved pets, but "native" dogs as a source of food. If you are especially disturbed that some people in Asia eat dog meat, then what does that say about people who eat beef (taboo in India), pork (taboo in the Middle East), chicken, goat, deer, etc.? There are people who have an affinity for each of these animals and wouldn't dream of them ending up on the dinner table.

Dog meat is not the only disturbing theme in this film. Even more heartbreaking is a segment in Uganda, in which people who survived the atrocities of war, only to be shunned in peacetime. Dogs helped them heal and re-integrate into society.

What I took away from this film is that dogs are a gift to humanity, and it is up to us to treat them well. I gave my pups extra treats and belly rubs after seeing "We Don't Deserve Dogs."

A beautiful documentary

[cinemagirl1357 · 10/10 · 9 August 2021]

I found this film fascinating - I loved seeing the way humans and their dogs interact in such different ways all around the world.

Some of the stories are heartwarming (I loved the story of Chino the street dog!), and others are heartbreaking, like the stories of former child soldiers in Uganda who use dogs as emotional support animals.

As others have noted, the filmmakers do include a scene that examines the culture of dog meat preparation in Vietnam. Whilst the scene is challenging to watch, I think it was handled delicately, and appreciate its inclusion in the film.

With beautiful cinematography and a lovely score, the film is a wonderful celebration of the love between humans and dogs. It made me cry - in the best possible way.

What is wrong with the producers?

[rdpinr · 1/10 · 3 June 2023]

We were watching this with our two children, even helping them to understand how dogs were helping to heal the emotional damages caused by war horrors.

Then, from out of nowhere, comes a segment regarding dog meat! As parents, we were completely blindsided, and couldn't get to the remote fast enough.

Later, I went back to see how that story progressed. After seeing the images used, I was 10 times as grateful that we shut the movie down as quickly as we did.

If you want to make a documentary about the dog meat industry, fine. I would probably even be interested in seeing it. But don't stick something like that in the middle of feel-good, heartwarming stories about dogs. That segment, ESPECIALLY the images, are NOT suitable for children!

Dog in wire..waiting to be SLAUGHTERED!!! DO NOT WATCH!!DISGUSTING!!! Shame on you!

[cfw-60017 · 1/10 · 2 July 2021]

Tell me that you can "stomach" watching a poor dog in a wire cage waiting for its death for the sake of $$ And you are trying to show us the humanity/beauty of dogs to the viewing public???

This is disgusting!!!

I hope PETA torments the directors and anyone involved in this atrocity of a film.

It lost 5 stars for the ending...

[greekalymnian · 5/10 · 31 August 2023]

Like others have stated, there was a segment about people killing dogs in Vietnam for dog meat. After watching so many heartwarming stories about how different cultures embrace dogs and love on them, this felt completely out of left field. Whether it's a reality or not, it didn't belong in this film. This was not expected, and the only reason I gave it 5 stars was because of this. The rest of the documentary was genuine and compassionate up until the ending. Although no animal cruelty was shown, they do show a dog waiting in a wired crate to be slaughtered and then marinated and it's dead body put onto a bike. That alone made me want to turn it off. Whether that part was trying to tell us that "we don't deserve dogs" or not, it could have been left out. If you are an animal lover as big as I am, I would say to at least skip the part where they get to Vietnam. Overall, eh. The ending honestly ruined it for me. And we truly do not deserve dogs. They are innocent, precious magical little beings that we must cherish and protect always.

Not at all what it claims to be about

[JasonBelle · 3/10 · 17 March 2024]

If they would change title of this film to "Some of the most horrible tragedies in human history and how their survivors deserve dogs", I'd give it a better rating. This isn't this sweet PG film for dog lovers, and before you think that's the case and watch it with your children... DON'T.

If they would change title of this film to "Some of the most horrible tragedies in human history and how their survivors deserve dogs", I'd give it a better rating. This isn't this sweet PG film for dog lovers, and before you think that's the case and watch it with your children... DON'T.

If they would change title of this film to "Some of the most horrible tragedies in human history and how their survivors deserve dogs", I'd give it a better rating. This isn't this sweet PG film for dog lovers, and before you think that's the case and watch it with your children... DON'T.

They kill a dog for meat!

[josereneprince · 1/10 · 1 May 2021]

WTF! At the end they have a dog in a cage and kill him for meat. You will see the dog with open chest in a motorcycle! Awfull piece of media, my children is crying!!!

Deceptive Title/Marketing

[torivt65 · 1/10 · 14 May 2021]

We don't deserve dogs, that is very true. But the title and clips I saw for this movie (and 95% of the movie itself) promote the wonder of dogs. Then, right near the end, totally off-tone and theme a dog is shown in a cage and then the dead carcass and the butchering process from afar. This felt very deceptive and out of place with the rest of the film and therefore I would never watch another documentary by these writers.

Don't watch!!! The kill and eat a dog...

[yadigovea · 1/10 · 2 May 2021]

Everything was fine until the end; when they show you a dog In a cage a then... a man kill it in his backyard and go out to sell his meat... I mean wtf!! Being a movie that celebrates the connection between humans and dogs out of no where they chose to kill the dog... it is very graphic about it.

Contains explicit scenes dog carnage

[shannonetheridge · 1 May 2024]

I thought the film was going to be thoughtful and brilliant until the unecessary part where a dog is chained while watching its killer prepare to kill and marinate it. The film starts with dogs helping others recover from life traumas in Africa. Tragic and beautiful. Then it moves on to other countries and continents with similar themes A dead dog was shown after being intentionally killed for food. The dog is shown chained in a cage watching the killer pepare to kill him. Of course most of us know that these killings occur, but this wasn't necessary here! I was sickened and nauseated by this scene. Definitely do not watch with children. I can't get that scene out of my head.