| In May, RVAS was contacted by a gentleman who wanted to know if we had a dog that could be in a family film being shot in central Iowa during the month of June. After a lengthy search, William F. Connelly, Producer with Silver Hills Pictures found what he was looking for right here at the Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary & Rescue. After submitting several photographs, Keena, RVAS Canine Ambassador for education on dog safety and balance in a dog's behavior, was selected for a part in the film.
According to Mr. Connelly, he chose RVAS because:
Our philosophy...no animal dies to make room for another...
Our work...Providing solutions for pet owner problems with their companions.
And our spirit...to save a life, no matter how difficult that one life might be to save.
RVAS President, Joseph S. Pundzak, submitted photos of possible dogs to use in the film to Mr. Connelly, who then selected Keena, a german shorthair pointer / lab mix, despite the fact that she was an all black dog, which is not only hard to film, but often overlooked as "appealing" to the general public. But Keena's beautiful golden eyes and her winning smile landed her a small role in the family film, Sam Steele and the Junior Detective starring Luke Perry, M Emmet Walsh, Jacob Hays, Darren Kennedy, Mike Delia, Katherine McNamara and Mik Scriba.
"Black dogs are often killed in shelters across this country," says Linda R. Blakely, Director. "They are not 'appealing' to the public eye and are overlooked simply because they are 'plain' looking making them much harder to adopt."
This is not new to those who work in the animal welfare industry. But what IS new is the media attention they have received in the last few years. News stations like MSNBC and USA Today featured black dogs showcasing the every growing Black Dog Syndrome back in March and April of 2008. Publications like Bark Magazine and Chicago's Daily Herald also featured articles on black dogs. And websites like blackpearldogs.com, are appearing more and more to bring awareness to the black dog syndrome in hopes to increase public awareness of what wonderful companions black dogs can make, too! Now a filming company is added to the ever-growing list of supporters for featuring a black dog in their film.
Filming took place during the month of June and is now in post-production. Sam Steele and the Junior Detective is set for release sometime in early 2010. Keena not only made some new human friends, but also enjoyed visiting with Libby, the Beagle, another dog on set and in the movie. Keena plays a dog (no surprise), Cody who is featured in the beginning of the film as her owner moves away shortly thereafter, taking her beloved canine companion with her. Needless to say, Keena played her role flawlessly.
Keena was also asked to participate in the premiere that will be held in Des Moines sometime in spring of 2010, where she will be available for pawtographs to continue our work here at the Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary & Rescue.
View photos of Keena and see her new bio imdb.com. For a complete listing of the cast and crew click here. |
