Arts writer
TO celebrate the dogs who give back to our community, Animaltalk magazine is hosting a free national screening of Max, which opens at cinemas on September 18. The film will be screened on Thursday at 7.30pm, for 7.45pm, at Ster-Kinekor Tyger Valley.
Animaltalk hopes to raise funds for three service dog organisations - BVFD K9 Search and Rescue Unit (Cape Town), RIGA Rescue (Johannesburg) and SAPS Port Shepstone K9 Unit (KZN).
The BVFD K9 Search and Rescue Unit was born out of a necessity to have Disaster Search Dogs (DSDs) as part of the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) capability within fire departments in South Africa. The K9 team is an integral part of the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team and ensures that valuable time is not wasted trying to find live victims. DSDs are trained to find live human scent during disasters and to alert the handler about the scent. This enables rescuers to uncover and save these victims in the shortest possible time.
Dogs used for this purpose need to have certain qualities, such as being shockproof (not scared of loud noises), a high play drive, not aggressive towards other people or animals, and be at least one year old. Animal welfare organisations are where dogs are screened for best candidates.
RIGA Rescue is a non-profit search and rescue organisation specialising in wilderness and disaster search and rescue cases. They are assisted by dogs to locate live human scent. They have no budget, so money needed comes from their own pockets and donations.
The K9 Units in Port Shepstone renders operational support in the investigation and combating of crime. Dogs include patrol, tracker, narcotic, sheep, explosive, search and rescue and biological fluid detection.
The film Max is about a precision-trained military dog who serves on the frontlines in Afghanistan alongside his handler, U.S. Marine Kyle Wincott. But when things go wrong on manoeuvres, Kyle is mortally wounded and Max, traumatised by the loss of his best friend, is unable to remain in service. Shipped stateside, the only human he is willing to connect with is Kyle’s teenage brother, Justin, so Max is adopted by Kyle’s family, essentially saving his life. But Justin has issues of his own, and isn’t keen on taking responsibility for his brother’s troubled dog.
However, Max may be Justin’s only chance to discover what really happened to his brother, and with the help of another tough-talking teen, Carmen, who has a way with dogs, Justin begins to appreciate his canine companion. Justin’s growing trust in Max helps the four-legged veteran revert back to his heroic self, and as the pair race against time to unravel the mystery, they find more excitement and danger than they bargained for. But they might also find an unlikely new best friend in each other.
l Entry is free, but patrons are encouraged to offer a donation, or bring an item such as tin or dry food, blankets, toys, treats, or any canine related products. Tickets are limited and need to be pre-booked: claudia@panorama.co.za For more information, see animalchannel.co. za/best-friend-hero-marine-support-our-service-dogs.
To view the trailer: www.youtube. com/watch?v=6djPb-NXgqc