Freedom of the Pack (2017)

In Native cultures, the wolf is seen as "The Teacher" in showing how one treats their land, tribe and family. To children, wolves represent a raw nature that is both powerful and free, but to a great many adults raised on false mythologies and menacing fairy tales, wolves are viewed as a threat to families and livestock. In the last 200 years, humans in the North American continent have hunted wolves to near extinction (from nearly half a million to approximately 23,000 in the wild). In 2011, wolves lost their Federal protections under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, because of political agendas, not scientific data. Even as you read this, many politicians and lobbyists are working to pass back-door legislation in hopes of removing state protections of wolves. "Freedom of the Pack" is a feature length documentary that aims to shed light on the misconceptions surrounding Canis Lupus, to expose how lawmakers are waging war on this species, and how several organizations around the country (California Wolf Center, Lockwood Animal Rescue Center, Shadowland Foundation, etc.) are helping to re-colonize wolves into areas they once thrived while educating the public on non-lethal methods to facilitate peaceful co-existence. Wildlife experts, cattle farmers, politicians, and sanctuary volunteers will discuss the "War on Wolves" that is currently being waged in the Lower 48 states. Even with numbers hovering around 5000 animals in contiguous U.S., some states such as Idaho and Montana have sanctioned irrationally high tag numbers and exceptionally long hunting seasons for Grey Wolves. Cattle Ranchers in states, where wild wolf populations exist, want these animals eradicated because it could affect their profit margins. In the end, no matter which side you are on, is it really worth the complete decimation of a species that survived the Ice Age?