The First to Trust

What happens when the rescued become the rescuers?

At Safe in Austin Rescue Ranch, Texas, USA, animals who have survived difficult pasts are forming powerful bonds with children and teens navigating trauma, neurodivergence, disability and other challenges they have in common.

Through the quiet, daily acts of feeding, grooming, and caregiving, meaningful relationships between young people and animals begin to form. The animals offer trust without judgment; the young people discover a sense of purpose, belonging, and connection. In caring for one another, both find something they have been missing: the freedom to be understood without having to explain themselves.

“The First to Trust” is a short documentary about the unexpected power of these bonds—and the possibility that healing can move in both directions. The film follows rescued animals and vulnerable young people as they find safety and healing in one another.

Edited by: Sarah Baril Gaudet
Images & video footage by: Molly Condit
Produced by: We Animals