The author, David Rosenfelt, is the ultimate dog lover, and it comes through in this book about his rescues and adoptions of dog from various shelters. Rosenfelt's personal stories and ancticdotes about his home life living with dozens of rescued dogs at a time can sometimes be a little sad, often amusing, and always moving. If you're a dog lover, and have a place in your heart for shelter dogs, this is a book for you.
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In the early nineties, David Rosenfelt met Debbie Myers, and her golden retriever, Tara. He didn't know it, but the course of his life was set. Marriage. Dogs. Dog rescue. Eventually, a series of mystery novels in which the protagonist is also a dog rescuer.

This book is a collection of essays about the things he learned, from Tara, that first dog, and from all the others after, living with anywhere from twenty to forty dogs once they were fully involved in rescue.

They didn't plunge into rescue immediately. At first they lived happily with their one, beloved dog. Then Tara, like too many Goldens, developed cancer. After months of treatment, they had to admit defeat and have her euthanized.

For months they were dogless, not ready for another dog. Then, wanting dogs in their lives, but not ready to adopt, they started volunteering at a local shelter--and they discovered how desperate the need for rescue is. It took a while, but the Tara Foundation was born.

Each essay is themed around a particular life lesson--dignity, overcoming fears, empathy--or some particular challenge of pet rescue. But what they're all really about is Rosenfelt's relationship with all the dogs that have come into his life, whether to stay, or just passing through on their way to forever homes. He does briefly cover their move, with more than twenty dogs, from California to Maine, but that experience is discussed more fully in Dogtripping. The primary focus here is their life in Maine, with some sections also discussing their life in California, and the emotional rewards and practical challenges of living with many, mostly senior, mostly very large, dogs. There are successful adoptions, and dogs rescued from terrible shelter conditions too late to save. There are dogs who seem unsaveable, who thrive in the right conditions.

This isn't a book to read if you can't stand books where the dog dies, because many of these dogs are old when they come into the Rosenfelts' lives. There are triumphant stories, too, though, and no graphic descriptions of cruelty.

All in all, I found it an enjoyable, satisfying book, that expresses very well what brings people into pet rescue, and what keeps us involved.

Recommended. ( )

This is a sweet, funny, poignant book that will appeal to any dog lover. This is basically a memoir about David Rosenthal himself, his wife, his dog rescue operation, and his dogs.

Some quotes I enjoyed from this book:

On weather forecasting in southern California: "I remember one time when the highs on successive days were going to be 84, 82, 85, 83...and the weather person said that the upcoming week was going to be a 'roller coaster'." (p.37)

On how animal rescue is different from regular jobs: "When you rescue animals and have them in your home, you don't take a lot of shit, you pick it up."

On appreciating the little things in life: So there was a sameness to the surroundings; we were not breaking new ground. Yet to watch Tara, you would never know that each time was not her first time....the point is that Tara could find joy in anything and everything." (p. 59)

"When I say 'slowed down', I mean it literally and I am drastically understating the case. There is plant life that moved faster than he does." (p.68)

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* I received this ebook at no charge from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review *

I was first introduced to Tara as Andy Carpenter’s faithful Golden Retriever in Mr. Rosenfelt’s “Andy Carpenter” series. Although she does nothing even remotely un-dog-like in those books she is Andy’s sidekick, matchmaker, confidant and friend. She has Andy well trained, can bend Andy to her will with just a canine look and, will never eat a dog biscuit in his presence. Little did I know when I started reading that series (the first one of his books I picked up had a Golden on the cover – naturally) that Tara was based on a real-life Golden also named Tara and also in possession of all the traits I loved in the books – and more.

Mr. Rosenfelt credits Tara for bringing him together with his wife, for teaching him to be a better person, for being his companion and for breaking his heart. You know – all those things dogs do when we love them. When Tara died, after a short but valiant fight with cancer, the Rosenfelt’s made a couple of posthumous promises to their beloved dog … one, they would never eat hotdogs (her favorite) again and, after they established The Tara Foundation that two, they would never turn away a Golden in need.

The promise about the hotdogs was the more difficult of the two to keep.

David Rosenfelt and his wife, Debbie, have devoted the past few decades to rescuing shelter dogs that might otherwise be impossible to place; mostly elderly dogs and dogs with severe health issues. Since even the Rosenfelts cannot always work magic in placing dogs and because they remember their promise to their beloved Tara often those dogs find their forever home with the Rosenfelts. The actual count of dogs living in their home at any given time can range from 20 to 40 … so, after shoveling the poop out of the backyard with a snow shovel, schlepping in 250-pound bags of kibble and cleaning the dog hair out of the printer Mr. Rosenfelt found time to sit down and write about what he learned from all the dogs that lived and were loved in their home.

Having enjoyed the tale of their cross-country journey, from California to Maine, with 25 dogs, 3 RV’s and a group of volunteers in “Dogtripping” I was looking forward to reading this book. It was a quick read (two evenings and a few cups of coffee) because the book is written in a very casual style … simply reminiscences of all the dogs he’s loved before and what each of them (including Tara) taught him. This book made me laugh, made me cry, sometimes made me angry and, often, made me shake my head in wonder. Mr. Rosenfelt writes this book with the wit and humor I have come to expect, his (usually self deprecating) sarcasm, with honesty and with lots and lots of love.

This is a definite must read for dog lovers as well as for Mr. Rosenfelt’s fans, but maybe more importantly it should be read by anyone looking to adopt a dog – it may make you think twice about wanting a puppy instead of adopting an adult dog.

Without any further explanation or apologies I am giving this book 5 stars because it made me feel good and I loved it! And, because I think Mr. Rosenfelt deserves it for uncomplainingly (mostly) putting up with all that dog hair.
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