DogTown: Tales of Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Redemption Book

This book is based on Dogtown, the dog sanctuary part of Best Friends Animal Society (www.BestFriends.org) and on the National Geographic specials about Dogtown, where every dog is given the best life possible, whether able to be placed with a family or not.

The book is divided into chapters, each about a special dog and about the people who care for them. Included are great black and white photos of the dogs and those who care for them. The hardest chapter for me to read was the first, about a pit bull named Georgia who is one of the dogs confiscated after Michael Vick was busted for dog fighting. I read it with alternate sorrow for the dogs involved and anger and a tightly clenched jaw that Vick and his felonious cohorts so abused dogs for their selfish, sadistic, greedy purposes, and that dog fighting is still going on every day. (I guess it is pretty clear where I stand on the Vick case. I've had to edit this twice before posting to take out some of my editorializing. But back to the book.)

Although the dogs that ended up at Dogtown were (and are) given wonderful treatment and kindness, often rehabilitated and able to be placed with families, the stories of how they came to Dogtown are so heartbreaking. Although this is an upbeat book with emphasis on happy endings, the beginnings cannot be ignored. Despite that, it is wonderful to read how formerly abused or injured or fear-aggressive or just plain unwanted and sad dogs can find joy in their everyday lives. I gave this book four stars not because it is extremely well written because it is not although it is competently and touchingly written. I've given it four stars because I think animal lovers everywhere will be glad they read it, as I am, and will cheer the spirit of these dogs and the people who devote their lives to them.