Pets are a part of the family, a sentiment that has always held strong in households across time. Whether they enter our lives by choice or by chance, we are responsible for being their guardians and making the choices that are in their best interest. Never is that more true than in writer/director Danielle Baynes The Dog, a harrowing tale of animal euthanasia.
Exhausted by her late-night shift at the clinic, veterinarian Claire (Kate Walsh) tries her best to make it through an ever-growing list of patients, who, along with their distraught families, are making their final visit to the office. First, Claire and her assistant Jow (Justin Amankwah) tend to Murray’s (Jeremy Waters) and his daughter Stef’s (Hunter Sabe) French bulldog, preparing it for euthanasia in front of the two grieving owners. It’s a routine procedure for many vets, yet Claire can’t seem to find peace or comfort on this particular evening. As something deep in her mind challenges her moral compass, her thoughts become warped. In her most distressing moment, the lights go out, and a sick dog (voiced by Nicholas Hope) wanders into the corridor, asking Claire in perfect English to give him a painless passing.
The dark hallways of Claire’s clinic, as well as the uncomfortable level of silence, serve to underscore this quite well. It’s atmospheric, pulling the viewer in with an invisible force with considerable staying power. The Dog often feels like it is venturing into horror territory, a welcome divergence that allows it to deal with provocative themes more dynamically. Case and point is the moral quandry of animal euthanasia, something that Claire very clearly grapples with on a daily basis. She may put on a friendly smile and console families with grace, but this calm and collected attitude masks a myriad of insecurities. Walsh is sensational here, making this balance work in a performance that makes her character not only compelling, but relatable. There’s a little bit of Claire in every pet owner, united in their efforts to make the right call for their animal friends, even if it means conceding a difficult decision.
On that note, the film stands clear on its message and uses the presence of a talking dog (communicating telepathically, of course) with Claire to examine its thesis. This transition into the peculiar can feel a bit abrupt, especially with the 12-minute runtime taking perhaps a little too long to set its emotional climax. When it arrives, though, it’s nothing short of stellar. The brilliant use of Hope’s voicework gives the canine a benevolent quality as it argues for its own death. It’s heartbreaking to bear witness to, yet Baynes’ writing makes it hopeful and strangely beautiful.
Regardless of your status as a pet parent, The Dog is appointment-viewing for anyone with even an ounce of love for the animal kingdom in search of an original, contemplative film.
