Benji: Off the Leash!

A generally amiable retro addition to the series that began in 1974. Colby's (Whitaker) nasty stepfather Hatchett (Kendrick) runs a puppy mill in their small Mississippi town. He plans to kill a mongrel pup, which Colby rescues and hides (and calls Puppy). Puppy (played by the latest version of Benji) befriends a smart stray named Lizard Tongue while avoiding a couple of inept dogcatchers (Newsome, Stephens) and trying to rescue his sickly mom from the mean breeder. The abuse themes (both animal and human) may scare the little ones but, of course, the dogs are cute and lovable.