Adopt a Dog

The only galley I picked up at BEA this year was Little Boy Blue by Kim Kavin. Purported to tell the story of a rescue dog from being abandoned at a high kill shelter to finding his ultimate home with the author, it tugged on my heartstrings for obvious reasons. 

Kavin, a journalist and lifelong dog lover, adopts Blue from one of the many rescue groups who advertise on Petfinder. Curious about his origins, she follows the trail back from there, tracking down every source that played a part in Blue's rescue, including animal shelters, foster homes, and vets. Kavin sheds light on every aspect of the animal rescue system, giving it the same kind of treatment that Fast Food Nation gave to the food industry. Some of what she exposes if disturbing, although not necessarily surprising. Most interesting is the perspective she gives on rescue groups, both the legitimate  and disreputable, and their practice of saving dogs in the South and transporting them to Northeast states for adoption.

I'd strongly recommend this book for anyone who has found their dog through the Petfinder network and wondered about their backstory. All I know of Millie's background is that she came from a high kill shelter in West Virginia. Reading this painted a vivid picture of exactly what that might have meant. It also reaffirmed my belief that adopting rescue animals is absolutely the best option when getting a pet. If you won't take my word for it, just take a look at these pictures:

You couldn't find a cuter face at the fanciest pet store or breeder.