Audience questions Netflix's The Lost Children documentary for missing key details about the dog's role

The intriguing documentary film, The Lost Children arrived on Netflix on November 14, 2024, and immediately got the audience talking. The discussions varied from what led to the plane crash to how the kids were able to stay alive in the woods for such a long time.

However, a few people pointed out that one of the less-discussed parts of the incident, which was also not emphasized much in the documentary was the role of the military dog, Wilson, who helped find the kids and guided those who were looking for them.

The audience took to social media, including Reddit, to express their disappointment. One user noted that the documentary film did not delve into Wilson's details, pointing out that he had a greater role to play in the grand scheme of things than what was slightly discussed in the one-hour, 36-minute film.

Comment byu/Alan_Stamm from discussion innetflix

"Why doesn’t it mention that the military dog Wilson found and stayed with the kids for a while? They drew him," wrote the user.

"Super bummed the documentary wasn't also dedicated to Wilson. Poor dog, it seems like his story was glossed over. (yes, I'm one of those people who can't watch a movie if the animal dies... this one took me by surprise and has me shook," wrote another user.

"I remember it at the time it was happening but noticed it was left out the doc for some reason even though they mentioned Wilson getting lost," wrote yet another user.

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Audiences are disturbed as Netflix glosses over key details about Wilson's role in The Lost Children documentary

As previously stated, people have been disappointed by the documentary's mention (or lack thereof) of certain aspects. This includes missing out on important information about how Wilson the dog was one of the most important factors in locating the children in the rainforest after the plane crash.

The Animal Reader in its June 29, 2023 edition pointed out that the Belgian shepherd went missing during the rescue mission for the four kids even though he was one of the first to reach them and believed to have kept them company before help arrived. After the kids were found, they shared that they had already met Wilson. Once they were located, the kids talked about the dog affectionately and even included him in their drawings over the years.

Was Wilson found after the children were discovered?

Before the military personnel could reach the four children, Wilson had already gone missing. They continued their search for more weeks using multiple tactics including luring him with female dogs in heat, but nothing worked. After two weeks the military stopped searching for Wilson and announced it to the media. During a news conference in Bogota, Army General Pedro Sanchez said:

“We have done absolutely everything within our reach, we have spared no effort to find him (Wilson), but we are aware that it is practically unlikely that we can find him."

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About The Lost Children

The Lost Children on Netflix is directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, Jorge Durán, and Lali Houghton. It tells the story of the Mucutuy children, their tragic fate, their survival, and the brave mission to rescue them. Its official synopsis reads:

"Four Indigenous children, ages 13, 9, 4 years, and 11 months are forced to survive 40 days in the Colombian jungle after a tragic plane crash kills their mother, and the other adults on board. This documentary features first-hand testimonies and extraordinary archive material from those who risked their lives to search for them, including the Colombian Army, Indigenous volunteer rescuers, and the children’s family."

Have you checked out The Lost Children? let us know in the comment section.

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The Lost Children is currently streaming on Netflix.