In the shadow of a brutal 20-year conflict, The Comfort Dogs of Uganda follows the journey of three former child soldiers, Lucy, Francis and Jennifer on their path to recovery through the unexpected companionship of rescued dogs.
Suffering severe PTSD after being abducted and brutalised by The Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel group in Northern Uganda, they were paired with abandoned dogs as part of The Comfort Dog Project, an innovative canine-assisted trauma therapy program under the guidance of Francis, a war survivor himself. The film highlights their transformative bond as both the survivors and their dogs heal together.
We meet Lucy and her dog Sadik, one of the program’s first graduates; Francis and his rescued guard dog Tommy and Jennifer, who credits her dog Ogen with saving her life. Interwoven with expert insight from human-animal bond researcher Meg Daley Olmert, the film explores how oxytocin, the “trust hormone,” plays a key role in this unique path to healing.
A deeply moving exploration of trauma, recovery and the power of connection, The Comfort Dogs of Uganda is a visual testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the extraordinary role dogs can play in helping us find our way back to life.
In the shadow of a brutal 20-year conflict, The Comfort Dogs of Uganda follows the journey of three former child soldiers, Lucy, Francis and Jennifer on their path to recovery through the unexpected companionship of rescued dogs.
Suffering severe PTSD after being abducted and brutalised by The Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel group in Northern Uganda, they were paired with abandoned dogs as part of The Comfort Dog Project, an innovative canine-assisted trauma therapy program under the guidance of Francis, a war survivor himself. The film highlights their transformative bond as both the survivors and their dogs heal together.
We meet Lucy and her dog Sadik, one of the program’s first graduates; Francis and his rescued guard dog Tommy and Jennifer, who credits her dog Ogen with saving her life. Interwoven with expert insight from human-animal bond researcher Meg Daley Olmert, the film explores how oxytocin, the “trust hormone,” plays a key role in this unique path to healing.
A deeply moving exploration of trauma, recovery and the power of connection, The Comfort Dogs of Uganda is a visual testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the extraordinary role dogs can play in helping us find our way back to life.