New show features animal rescue stories from Austin The Animal Rescue Show
It all started with Dood, a pig belonging to Richard Linklater. The Central Texas Pig Rescue consults with “pig parents” about behavioral issues and made one such house call with the filmmaker. That encounter led to the creation of “That Animal Rescue Show,” a TV series spotlighting the Austin animal rescue community.
“I went down to Austin and met with Rick and we thought, ‘This is really interesting, but it could be bigger than just this place. Let’s start looking for other stories,” recalls Palo Alto filmmaker Bill Guttentag, who was introduced to the “Boyhood” director by producer Julia Eisenman, a mutual friend and now one of the series’ executive producers.
And so the pair went out and found other stories throughout Texas, and the result is a 10-part series co-written and largely directed by Guttentag that’s airing on CBS All Access.
“Rick said, ‘Growing up in Texas, there used to be a time when people would swerve on a highway to hit an animal, and now they pull off to the side to try to save the animal,’ ” Guttentag says, noting that the series illustrates those evolving attitudes, along with the work of those who step in when animals need help.
A two-time Oscar winner for the documentary shorts “You Don’t Have to Die” (1988) and “Twin Towers” (2003), Guttentag’s experience is wide-ranging. The Brooklyn native has taught classes on the entertainment industry at the Stanford Graduate School of Business since 2001. As a filmmaker, he has made two narrative features, “Live!” (2007), a mockumentary about reality TV, and “Knife Fight” (2012), a comedy-drama starring Rob Lowe as a political strategist.
Where to see it: CBS All Access
He has even worked on TV shows like the nonfiction series “Crime & Punishment” for “Law & Order” producer Dick Wolf, who gave him a pro tip: “Never do a series unless you are certain you can go to 100 episodes.”
Whether or not a series goes that long, it should generate that many compelling stories, Guttentag recalls of the advice, and he’s kept that in mind for his latest project. He does not know whether “That Animal Rescue Show” will go beyond one season, but he has no doubt that he and Linklater can find enough stories to tell to answer Wolf’s challenge.
And he believes “That Animal Rescue Show” couldn’t come at a better time. Guttentag says that since the coronavirus pandemic, he has noticed more people adopting or fostering cats and dogs. He also knows that emotions are high with the election.
“I just hope our show is a little bit of a balm you can look at,” he says.
The docuseries looks at the work done by the pig rescue as one example. Unscrupulous breeders sell “mini pigs” when there is no such thing — such piglets can grow to 200 pounds. Central Texas Pig Rescue provides sanctuary to abandoned pets and liberated lab animals.
Among the other episodes are ones dedicated to Safe in Austin, a family-run ranch that takes in abused and neglected animals and invites special-needs and traumatized children to spend time with the animals; Paws in Prison, a program in which female inmates at Lockhart Correctional Facility train shelter dogs and ready them for adoption; and Austin Pets Alive, one of the country’s largest no-kill shelters.
“What strikes me most is the joy and discovery on both sides of the relationship between the animals and their human caregivers,” Linklater said. “These are inspirational stories that I believe will be a positive force in the world.”