For every pet parent who knows there's no such thing as
'just a dog,' this collection of uplifting glimpses into the lives of
ordinary-turned-extraordinary dogs and the people who love them is a
tail-wagging good read. Thanks to the rescue dog who saved her life after a
traumatic brain injury, Carmen Leal went from saying she'd never have a dog to
becoming an advocate for man's best friend. Carmen volunteered at the local
rescue shelter by writing bios and social media posts, applying for grants, and
helping to save and re-home over 6,500 dogs from a high-kill shelter. This
endearing anthology includes stories that celebrate the bond between canines
and humans including Buddy the beagle who went from living chained under a
porch to becoming the town's only therapy dog, Heavenly Joy, the frightened
Chihuahua who changed the life of a grumpy old man, Bogey, an abandoned
mixed-breed trained by prison inmates and adopted by his forever family. I
Chose You is a collection of memorable, beautifully written stories of
dogs rescued by people and, ultimately, people rescued by dogs. If you like
four-legged friends and happy endings, you'll love Carmen Leal's touching
collection of heart-warming stories. I Chose You is a feel-good book
that resonates with anyone who has ever loved a dog.
Finding Love in Rescues,
Shelters, and Fosters
You can’t
buy love, but you can find it in rescues, shelters, and foster groups around
the country. When we started looking for a dog, I was absolutely clueless. We
had relocated only a few months before, so we didn’t know many people and had
no idea where to begin. The local Humane Society website popped up first when I
did an online search using the words “rescue dog.” They had spotty hours and my
husband’s work schedule made it hard to get there when they were open.
Next, I
stumbled on an organization that had dogs for adoption that were being
fostered. This was the first time I heard the term “foster” applied to dogs.
People who foster take a puppy or dog into their home and give it love, care,
and attention. Fostering can be for a specified amount of time, to help them to
reach a certain health or training goal, or until the dog is adopted to its
forever family. Many groups do not have a brick-and-mortar facility, even if
they are licensed to rescue and find homes for dogs. In these cases, the group
depends on people opening up their homes to care for dogs until the right
family is found. Those I found online didn’t have set hours and when no one
returned my phone call, I kept searching. The place I finally found was at the
bottom of the second page of the results and was where we found our dog that
first day. They met all my criteria—and some I didn’t know I should have had.
People
use the terms “shelter” and “rescue” interchangeably but there is a difference.
Most cities or counties will have a shelter or a fee-for-service contract with
someone like the Humane Society to take in stray and owner-surrendered dogs.
These organizations take in homeless pets within a specific community and are
often a great place to find a pet. Rescues can be housed and cared for in a
building or they can be foster-only without a physical location. They both identify
areas that have stay dog problem and overflowing shelters. They often partner
with a specific shelter in a high-need area and transport dogs who would likely
be euthanized to other states that have people who choose to adopt instead of
buying from a breeder. Rescue groups, always short-staffed and often volunteer
only, rescue in the truest sense of the word. According to the American Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, over 1.6 death row dogs are saved
every year through adoption.
Every dog
deserves a good home. Every family that wants to be a responsible owner
deserves a good dog. There are many, many dogs and puppies in need of homes.
When you adopt a pet, you are saving a life.
Please visit Carmen’s gorgeous site for more details on her book! Wag Away Publishing – Imperfectly Perfect Rescue Dogs and Their Humans
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