“Once In A Lifetime” is a documentary film series exploring the complicated history and ongoing controversy surrounding pit bull dogs, weaved through is a real life fairy-tale about a once-in-a-lifetime dog named Preston.
My name is Jeff Theman, and I am the human behind River Fire Films, LLC. For over 45 years there have been two main constants in my life – an inherent love of the arts and dogs.
In this documentary film about pit bull dogs, our goal is to examine this emotional debate through a different angle than previously seen before. Additionally, we intend to dissect this complicated story by examining significant historical events, such as the following significant points in time:
For centuries, dogs have accompanied our ancestors in performing a variety of tasks. They assisted in working roles – such as hunting, herding of livestock and the guarding of property. They also offered general companionship.
However, in the case of pit bull dogs, their development is oftentimes muddied with controversy and uncomfortable conversations about the purpose of their creation.
Nevertheless, one thing is clear – the ancestry of the American Pit Bull Terrier is the byproduct of crossing an Old English Bulldog with a variety of terriers. This produced offspring that possessed the desired amplified traits of both in one complete package.
These half bulldog-half terrier crosses – often referred to as bull-and-terriers or half-and-half’s, were the foundation that will later become the Pit Bull Terrier.
Most historians of the American Pit Bull Terrier agree that the majority of the originating stock of dogs came to the United States with their English and Irish immigrant families during the 19th Century.
Even though most states outlawed dogfighting, interest in the activity continued to grow underground.
This led to a well publicized match in October 1881 between Lloyd’s Pilot (28 lbs) versus Kreiger’s Crib (27.5 lbs.). This event has largely been identified as the turning point in the popularity of dogfighting in America.
After several decades of somewhat obscurity, news stories about pit bull dogs and their association to dogfighting began circulating in the mid-late 1970s.
By the beginning of the 1980s, reports about violent tendencies of pit bulls became national news, prompting some communities to debate banning the dogs.
In 1980, Hollywood, Florida passed the country’s first legislation targeting pit bull dogs. It was quickly struck down in court for violating constitutional rights. But, by the close of the decade, breed specific legislation spread rapidly like wildfire across the country and around the world.
On the late morning of April 25, 2007, news quickly spread about NFL star quarterback, Michael Vick, being a suspect in running a dogfighting operation.
Federal agents and humane investigators raided his rural Virginia property, discovering dozens of pit bull dogs and evidence of dogfighting. This horrified the general population, who were given their first glimpse into the underworld of animal fighting.
Woven through this complicated story about pit bull terriers, is a love story chronicled in one account of the human-canine bond. It’s a tale of how fate disguises itself as coincidence.
You don’t find the dogs you want; the dogs you need find you.
This documentary is about a once-in-a-lifetime dog named Preston, and his filmmaker human, Jeff.
On July 6, 2006, three dogs were taken by humane investigators during a drug bust in Akron (OH). The dogs were seized due to fresh wounds consistent with dogfighting. Preston was one of these dogs.
They were taken to the local humane society where they were kept as evidence. This was pre-Michael Vick case, in a state that had statewide laws restricting pit bull dogs. So, once they were rescued by humane officers, they’d soon need to be saved…again.
“Remembering Preston” | A “Once In A Lifetime” Promo Video
View our collection of short promotional videos, featuring sub-topics related to pit bull dogs and the “Once In A Lifetime” documentary series.
Learn about the complicated history of pit bull dogs through vintage photographs, newspaper articles and other original artifacts in this special blog series – The Archives.
Watch the “Once In A Lifetime” Pitch Video, which highlights the reasons why this documentary film series was born.
Support the making of this documentary film by contributing to one of the above incentives, or make a donation via Paypal below!
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