A few months ago I received a book about rescued pets and I put off reading it because I knew it would make me cry. Just the thought of having to "rescue pets" makes me teary-eyed. I cannot bear the thought that someone's pet(s) are given up for adoption, left on the side of the road, or abandoned, however unintentionally (for instance, during and after Hurricane Katrina, people were shuffled off and forced to leave their pets behind).
This book, it turns out, is uplifting and inspiring: Saved - Rescued Animals and the Lives They Transform. The people Karin Winegar writes about are amazing people, with the best heartwarming stories I've ever read. Along with Karin's excellent story-telling, are the beautiful black and white photographs of Judy Olausen - which capture the true emotions in these wonderful stories of rescue.
The key message in these stories isn't really the power of the rescues: dogs, cats, horses, even birds. It's in the story behind the story - where you meet the people who perform these rescues. Who give of their time, their money, their homes, to assure our four-legged (and two-legged) friends, happy and healthy lives, in place of the poor lives they were living before these people came to their rescue.
These are people like you and me. These are people who understand that animals, especially "pets" - however you define that term- are vital to the ecological health of Mother Earth AND to the emotional health of the humans who reside on Mother Earth.
We know that pets, and animals in general, are not expendable. We know that every living, breathing creature has a purpose. Without them, the human population would not survive. And so, in this book, through some outstanding writing and photography, readers can cry a little, laugh a little, and reach out to thank the average, everyday citizens who make it their job to take care of the needy of the animal kingdom.
In some ways, I'm jealous. If only I could do the same. In my heart, I wonder if someday I might.
What about you?
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