Unleashed: The Dogs of San Antonio Project

Unleashed: Dogs of San Antonio, the Purpose

Unleashed: Dogs of San Antonio is not just a documentary; it is a forensic investigation into one of the worst stray animal crises in America. Directed by Tom McPhee, this project goes where others won't—into the streets, the backyards, and the city council meetings—to document the reality of life for San Antonio’s forgotten dogs.
This is the definitive record of the crisis. From the tragedy of the Najera mauling to the heroic efforts of local rescues, Unleashed weaves a narrative that demands accountability and sparks change.
Project Elements & Funding Needs: Your support powers the four pillars of the Unleashed initiative:

1. The Feature Documentary: Production, Post-production (editing, color grading, sound design) to prepare the film for global distribution and film festivals.
2. The "San Antonio Pet Promise" PSA series for San Antonio TV & Radio: Showcasing Raymond Najera presenting 26 x 60 second PSA episodes addressing what it means to be a good pet guardian in San Antonio for TV and radio.  Tagging each episode with the line:  "I Promise..."
3. The Open Forums (Town Halls): Organizing and filming live community events (like Dogs of San Antonio: Open Forum 3) where citizens and officials come face-to-face.
4. The Educational Archive from the K9 Street Surveys: Creating a permanent, searchable data and video library of the crisis for legislators, journalists, and educators.

Unleashed: Dogs of San Antonio is a comprehensive, multi-tiered media and civic action project documenting the escalating stray and dangerous dog crisis in San Antonio and Bexar County, Texas. More than just a film, Unleashed serves as a forensic investigation, a community platform, and a catalyst for legislative change.

To address the sheer scale of the crisis, the Unleashed initiative is built upon four foundational pillars:

1. The Feature Documentary
The cornerstone of the project is the feature-length documentary, capturing the unfiltered reality of the streets, the tireless work of local rescues, and the systemic failures that have allowed the crisis to grow.
The project is currently focused on the rigorous 1.5 years of production remaining and the post-production phase. This involves:

• Production:  Interviews and follow up interviews with existing participants as well as filming a series of dogs we've been following.  We incorporating the filming of first 2 full years under new Animal Care management and record setting budget.
• Narrative Editing: Shaping thousands of hours of raw footage, interviews, and on-the-ground documentation into a cohesive, high-impact narrative.
• Color Grading: Applying a professional, cinematic finish to the footage to ensure visual consistency and atmospheric depth across diverse shooting environments.
• Sound Design & Audio Mixing: Balancing on-the-fly documentary audio, enhancing clarity, and building an immersive soundscape that places the audience directly in the environment.

These technical steps are essential to prepare the film for global distribution and the international film festival circuit, ensuring the San Antonio crisis reaches the widest possible audience.

2. The "San Antonio Pet Promise" PSA Series
To drive immediate cultural change within the city, we are producing a comprehensive public broadcast campaign for local television and radio.   

This series features Raymond Najera, who has become a powerful advocate for community safety and accountability following the tragic loss of his father, Ramon. Raymond presents 26 distinct, 60-second PSA episodes directly addressing what it truly means to be a responsible pet guardian in San Antonio. From securing property to the importance of spay/neuter programs, these spots deliver vital educational messaging with emotional resonance.  Every episode concludes with a unifying community call to action, tagged with the line: "I Promise..."

3. The Open Forums (Dogs of San Antonio Open Forums 1, 2, 3 with a 4th, 5th, and 6th coming soon)
True civic change requires face-to-face accountability. As part of the Unleashed initiative, we are actively organizing, facilitating, and filming live community town hall events, including the most recent, Dogs of San Antonio: Open Forum 3.

These Open Forums provide a structured, documented environment where citizens, victims of dog attacks, and animal welfare advocates can address failings by city officials, local representatives, and Animal Care Services leadership. By filming these events, we preserve a public record of the promises made by officials and the unvarnished testimonies of the citizens living through the crisis.

4. The Educational Archive from the K9 Street Surveys
Data drives policy. Drawing from the extensive boots-on-the-ground documentation gathered during our production, we are constructing a permanent, searchable data and video library.
This archive will serve as a vital, open-source tool for:

• Legislators: Providing undeniable visual evidence and statistical data to support the drafting of stronger public safety and animal welfare laws.
• Journalists: Offering a verified, categorized repository of footage and geographic data for investigative reporting.
• Educators & Rescues: Supplying real-world case studies for community education programs.

This living archive transforms our raw production materials into a lasting public utility.

These are images of past open forums held in Houston and Detroit.  The World Animal Awareness Society has been holding open forums across the USA and internationally since 2011. We use the most current technology.

Houston Open Forum

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Detroit Open Forum