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""No Dog Should Die Alone" was the attention-grabbing - and heart-stirring - headline of journalist Laura T. Coffey's TODAY show website story about photographer Lori Fusaro's work with senior shelter pets. While generally calm, easy, and already house-trained, these animals often represent the highest-risk population at shelters. With gorgeous, joyful photographs and sweet, funny, true tales of "old dogs learning new tricks," Coffey and Fusaro show that adopting a senior can be even more rewarding than choosing a younger dog. You'll meet endearing elders like Marnie, the irresistible shih tzu who has posed for selfies with Tina Fey, James Franco, and Betty White; Remy, a soulful nine-year-old dog adopted by elderly nuns; George Clooney's cocker spaniel, Einstein; and Bretagne, the last known surviving search dog from Ground Zero. They may be slower moving and a tad less exuberant than puppies, but these pooches prove that adopting a senior brings immeasurable joy, earnest devotion, and unconditional love"-- ""Stories and photos illustrating the joys of adopting older dogs"--Provided by publisher"--… (more)
User reviews
But. This book reveals an aspect of good-doing that has gone hopelessly awry. There are many examples here of pets who are happy and loved, but who cannot be kept by their people for numerous financial reasons: loss of income, loss of housing, and the high cost of needed healthcare for aging critters. Loving people are forced to surrender loved pets most often because they can't get money to keep them. And repeatedly in this book there are stories of rescue groups who raise money to pay for dental work or maintenance medicines or surgeries for surrendered animals. The funders, the fundraisers, the foster homes for ill pets, and the medical providers who give their time and expertise to treat pets as cheaply as possible, all these people are dedicated and generous and have nothing but good intentions. So why aren't the money and effort and support going to people before they are forced to surrender their pets? It's true for children, and elderly folks, as well as pets: if direct financial assistance was offered during the crisis not only would more families remain intact, but everyone would be happier and healthier. Medical crises shouldn't bankrupt and break up animal families any more than they should bankrupt and break up human families. If we offer the right help at the right time, maybe they won't have to.
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