THE STORY – In a Disney+ original documentary, we see the remarkable relationships between humans and non-human animals, ranging from typical pets like cats and dogs to farm animals and even wildlife like birds of prey. The film shows both pet parents and those involved in animal rescue – with a special focus on adopting vs. buying from breeders – via archival footage, one-on-one interviews, viral videos, and more.
THE CAST – N/A
THE TEAM – Bryce Dallas Howard
THE RUNNING TIME – 79 Minutes
The Disney+ original documentary, “Pets,” explores the relationship between humans and animals – and not just cats and dogs. Featured are farm animals, small animals like rabbits and guinea pigs, and birds of prey, to name a few. The documentary, directed by Bryce Dallas Howard and co-produced by her father, Ron Howard, contains everything from archival footage to viral-type videos and one-on-one interviews with rescuers and pet parents alike. Despite featuring plenty of adorable, intelligent, and interesting pets from all over the world – including an admirable focus on adoption and animal sanctuaries – “Pets” still feels like a standard direct-to-streaming documentary, with basic filmmaking, a brief runtime that doesn’t allow for further examination, and an unfocused narrative.
At first, we see quick-cutting between numerous clips of puppies and kittens being revealed to their now-owners. As charming as this is, it makes these animals appear as “presents” and items that should be unwrapped. Thankfully, we are soon introduced to numerous individuals who are rescue pet parents and/or rescuers. Seeing an animal documentary focusing on adoption vs. buying from breeders, pet stores, and the like is refreshing. Nonprofits like the Sato Project and Ziggy’s Refuge are featured, the former of which rescues dogs from Puerto Rico and flies them to the U.S., where they are adopted (Just try not to get choked up when a dog-loving couple excitedly picks up their new rescue pup at the airport). The first rescuer interviewed is one of the few working specifically with cats, and he’s open about his former cat and how much he has learned about adopting vs. buying. The story of Ziggy’s Refuge begins with a couple buying what they are told will be a teacup-sized pig, but instead, it ends up the size of a normal pig, eventually leading them to open a farm sanctuary in North Carolina. The film also travels across the globe to Spain and Japan, where the latter features a rescuer who purposely adopts senior dogs out to older adopters.
The people interviewed and profiled talk about the friendships and bonds they form with their pets, which they say can be even more meaningful than those they have with their human friends and family. It’s hard not to be taken by this perspective, especially if you have difficulty socializing or prefer more solitude in your life. The children are especially unafraid to go into the nitty-gritty of pet ownership, including accidents around the house and cleaning up after pets. However, the continual interruption of children being interviewed is somewhat distracting. While these youngsters are often charming, wise beyond their years, and honest, the frequent transitions to them being interviewed on a blue background (alongside their names and ages) leads to the film feeling unfocused.
Howard, whose directorial work thus far has been concentrated on television (“The Mandalorian”), also helmed 2019’s “Dads.” Similarly, “Pets” is heartwarming, personal, and uplifting – even when dealing with pet loss, either due to old age or health. Still, it’s unclear why some stories seem more personalized and in-depth than others. While a bird of prey expert is given a substantial backstory, helping to understand why his work is so meaningful, others are only shown in their current situations. For example, it would’ve been interesting to learn more about the Japanese man who runs an animal shelter; we see a great deal of footage of his current work but know little about what exactly led him to where he is. The individual stories appear more American-focused instead of letting stories like the one set in Japan breathe a bit more. That said, we do get ample time with the nomadic kayaker in Spain who adopts a dog and, eventually, a cat, both of whom have traveled with him (and the cinematography here is quite stunning).
At only 79 minutes, the film breezes by. While it’s not necessarily a bad thing for a film’s runtime to be so brief, in this case, “Pets” could have benefitted from some of the stories being fleshed out a bit more. The child interviews could have been trimmed – or at least edited better – and there may have been more time for an additional personal story. Perhaps the film could have also spotlighted more exciting pets like reptiles, parrots, and amphibians. Regardless, while there are bits and pieces of inspiring, emotional moments, the result is far from what you might get from, say, an episode of “Planet Earth.” It lacks the awe-inspiring moments you’d typically find in that David Attenborough-narrated docuseries.
The inspirational nature lies in the stories, and even unfocused, unoriginal filmmaking can’t take that away. It’s hard to deny our pets’ impact on our lives, even long after they’re gone. Unlike humans, people say in “Pets,” these animals are always there for us, whether we’re sad or happy. It’s also refreshing to see such a focus on adoption, including senior pets, as celebrities and the media may often glamorize buying from breeders, pet stores, etc. And yet, the film is only surface level when examining relationships between humans and animals, making it difficult for this one to stand out from the pack.
Like humans, animals are not perfect because, after all – as it is noted in the film – we humans are technically animals too. The man who has been rehabilitating birds of prey for decades says honestly that he has “learned enough from people” – a relatable sentiment, especially considering how much more intelligent some animals are than many people may have thought. For example, as the founders of Ziggy’s Refuge note, pigs are as smart as a four-year-old human child, which leads to one of the messages of “Pets,” which is that we should have compassion for all living beings. Even if you’re not a pet owner, it’s hard to argue against that.
