Mary Healey Jamiel

SEARCHDOG is the story of Matthew Zarrella, a Rhode Island State Police Sergeant who rehabilitates “unadoptable” pound dogs and transforms them into Search & Rescue/Recovery Dogs. We come to know Matthew and his dogs and witness extraordinary moments over four and a half years of real-time searches as he trains troopers and their new canine partners to find missing persons.

The film begins as a personal journey of filmmaker, Mary Healey, who was also a Catholic. She films a series of historic events where we meet key players involved in the sexual abuse scandal, including victims, whistle-blower priests and a senior ranking US Cardinal who is called upon by the Vatican to control a waxing maelstrom.