Educational Media Reviews Online

Tierra del Fuego (“Fireland”) is an archipelago sitting at the southernmost tip of Argentina, bordering Antarctica. The islands are known for their beautiful lakes, glaciers, steppes and forests. The original human inhabitants of the region were the Selkna’m (Onas) nomadic people. The first white settlers to the area were missionaries, followed by sheep farmers in the nineteenth century. By 1915 more than one million sheep occupied Fireland, and today are still a “cultural icon” for the islands. The landscape and economy drastically changed following the passage of the Industrial Promotion Law in 1972, which encouraged Argentinian internal migration, and the small town of Rio Grande in particular turned into a large city. Argentinians arriving in Fireland wanted family dogs. These dogs were allowed to roam freely, crossing the city limit into the sheep farms.

The farmers interviewed for the film describe how man’s best friends went from being a nuisance to a danger as they attacked sheep, bit residents and created a public health hazard from feces and urine. By 1986, sheep farmers were speaking out about the issue, but it grows to this day. These family dogs continue breeding and create feral dog packs killing, as one farmer estimates, up to a thousand sheep in one herd annually. Those working to help the stray dogs running wild in the cities tell their own story. Dogcatchers, shelter workers and veterinarians advocate for “castration, education and adoption”, and show compassion to these animals that are feared by farmers.

Sheep farmers have attempted several solutions to the issue, including trapping. Still, many farms have gone bankrupt, and others shifted to cattle farming. Forced to confront the issue head-on, some have turned to hiring marksmen to shoot dogs on their property. This prompts a plea from the shelter workers to stop the violence. Could a more desirable option be raising large white dogs with the sheep as guard dogs? Some farmers are trying this tactic, but admit it is too soon to know how effective this method is.

Fireland Dogs is a heartbreaking film detailing the economic, ecological and public health devastation caused by these growing dog packs. Viewers are compelled to consider alternative solutions and contemplate their own effect on our natural world. Long shots of the landscape display the natural wonder of this “beautiful, exotic and mythical place.” The insightful interviews detail stories from many sides of this issue. The documentary itself suffers from a technical problem. The residents speak their native Spanish, which is translated into English subtitles. At one point in the film, a subtitle disappears and reappears on another shot, leaving viewers wondering if they missed dialogue. In another scene, a dogcatcher speaks with a resident as he drops off a dog. No subtitles are displayed at this point, although one assumes the director included this as an important conversation.

This film is highly recommended for academic libraries, as well as public library collections for adults. This film may not be appropriate for younger viewers, due to the graphic images of dead and wounded sheep, and the use of guns to kill feral dog populations. Children may also have difficulty keeping up with the English subtitles.

Awards:

Earthvision Feature Award, Santa Cruz Film Festival, 2018