October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! Considering adding a furry friend to your family? Give a second chance to a dog looking for a forever home. Visit the local rescue shelters in our area such as the Happy Days Dog and Cat Rescue or the Michigan Humane Society. Once you've adopted your forever friend, check out these inspiring books about rescued shelter dogs!

When Cara felt her teenaged children slipping away and saw an empty nest on the horizon, she decided the best way to fill that void was with dogs--lots of them--and so her foster journey began.In 2015, her Pennsylvania farm became a haven for Operation Paws for Homes. There were the nine puppies at once, which arrived with less than a day's notice; a heart- worm positive dog; a deeply traumatized stray pup from Iraq; and countless others who just needed a gentle touch and a warm place to sleep. Operation Paws for Homes rescues dogs from high-kill shelters in the rural south and shuttles them north to foster homes like Cara's on the way to their forever homes.What started as a search for a good dog, led to an epiphany that there wasn't just one that could ll the hole left in her heart from her children gaining independence--she could save dozens along the way. The stories of these remarkable dogs-- including an eighty-pound bloodhound who sang arias for the neighbors--and the joy they bring to Cara and her family (along with a few chewed sofa cushions) fill the pages of this touching and inspiring new book that reveals the wonderful rewards of fostering.When asked how she can possibly say goodbye to that many loveable pups, Cara says, "If I don't give this one away, I can't possibly save another." Filled with humanity and hope, Another Good Dog will take the reader on an journey of smiles, laughs, and tears--and lead us to wonder how many other good dogs are out there and what we can do to help. 

Bodie, mystery mix rescue pup, is on death row in a Los Angeles dog shelter, having been abandoned by his owner. Belinda, a heartbroken woman, is in a heap on the floor of her vintage apartment, having been dumped by the man of her dreams. Two lost souls ready to find a new life--together. Belinda falls in love with Bodie the moment he plants his furry butt on her bare, flip-flopped foot. Soon, the two embark on a 2,000-mile West Coast road trip, taking in spectacular Big Sur, a pack run in the wilds of Oregon, afternoon tea at Doris Day's dog-loving hotel in Carmel, a fragrant encounter with the creator of Kennel No.5 furfume, and a bar stop in a small town near San Francisco where a dog was elected mayor and served for thirteen years . . .

On their soul-searching adventure, Belinda and Bodie cruise along California State Route 1, one of the most iconic highways in America, heading towards Portland, Oregon--repeatedly voted one of the most dog-friendly cities in America. Join Belinda and Bodie on this feelgood road trip, and you, too, will feel the wind in your hair and a wag in your tail! 

In Rescued, NYT bestselling author Peter Zheutlin interweaves stories and lessons from families who have welcomed rescue dogs into their homes with his own zany experiences adopting one for the first time in midlife to reveal what we can learn from these animals who were once lost and are now found. Blending keen insights and advice on navigating the complexities of caring for a rescue dog with humorous (and occasionally heart-wrenching) anecdotes, each chapter reveals important life lessons we can learn from second-chance dogs, such as the truth about living with a rescued pet- it is not one continuous Hallmark moment, how rescue dogs can heal us just like we heal them, surprising new ways they can teach us to rediscover and celebrate our joyous inner child, accept change gracefully, and forgive others and, most importantly, ourselves. For anyone who loves, lives with, or has ever wanted a dog, this irresistibly charming book will warm your heart and show how the dogs whose lives we've saved can change ours for the better too.

Rescue dogs : portraits and stories by photographer Susannah Maynard

Dog rescue has blossomed in recent years, as more and more people are choosing to adopt dogs from animal shelters and homegrown rescue organizations and have categorically steered away from purchasing dogs from breeders and puppy mills. In this beautifully illustrated book, Susannah Maynard provides personality-rich dog portraits and chronicles rescue dogs' journeys from a turbulent start to a warm, loving, and happy and safe home. Readers will find heartwarming and triumphant stories that point to dogs' characteristic resilience and unconditional love. Her subjects include puppies, adult dogs, and special needs dogs--of all breeds, and of course, mixed breeds--and her stories will empower readers to join the rescue effort or bolster their efforts to increase their volunteer involvement to better the lives of rescue dogs, one animal at a time.

Shelter dogs in a photo booth by Guinnevere Shuster

Often seen as sad, rejected, and behind cold metal bars, it's no wonder people would avoid images of shelter dogs awaiting forever homes. From talented photographer (and now public figure and adoption champion) Guinnivere Shuster comes Shelter Dogs in a Photo Booth, a guaranteed-to-make-you-smile photo book featuring shelter dogs in a brand-new light. Get ready to see the cutest canine portraits you've ever seen! Guinnevere's fantastic photos went viral and have been featured on websites, in magazines, and on television programs all over the world: Good Morning America, NBC, ABC, MSNBC, The Huffington Post, Time, The Daily Mail . . . even celebrities have gotten in on the action: Amy Poehler, Cesar Millan, and Zooey Deschanel have made statements and posts declaring their love of Guinnevere's work. The book features 100 dog photo booth style photographs, each accompanied by a short story about the dog's personality, how the dog ended up in the shelter, and the adoption date. A follow-up will conclude the book, with photos of some of them with their new families.

Rescuing a dog can change not only the dog`s life but yours too. This book explains how. It also tells you everything you need to know about finding the right dog at a shelter near to you, and getting him or her used to you and their home. There is also appropriate advice on training and caring for your new friend. This book contains moving poems, true stories and appealing portraits of actual rescue dogs, who found new owners and loving homes.

What shelter dogs need is obvious--a home. But how do we find all those homes? That question sends bestselling writer and lifelong dog lover Amy Sutherland on a quest to find the answers in her own volunteer work and beyond. The result is an unforgettable and inspiring trip through the world of homeless dogs and the people who work so hard to save them. Rescuing Penny Jane introduces readers to dogs like Alfred, a loony, gorilla-sized Goldendoodle, intent on jumping on absolutely everyone at the shelter; Rugby, the crippled pit bull--mix puppy who was found abandoned on a roadside; and Brody, an overly exuberant and misunderstood German shepherd mix. Then there are the author's own adopted dogs: Penny Jane, the terribly skittish stray from a Maine farm who repeatedly pushes Amy's patience to its limits; and Walter Joe, who acts like a rabid dog in the shelter only to become a marshmallow in his new home. She also delves into the history of rescue dogs, like Sido, the sheltie mix who inspired the no-kill movement; Sadie, the Civil War dog who braved Gettysburg; and Bummer and Lazarus, San Francisco's famous nineteenth-century stray dogs. Through conversations with leading shelter directors, researchers, trainers, adoption counselors, and caretakers across the country, Sutherland offers a nuanced, fully informed picture of the rescue world, along with its challenges, champions, and triumphs. Rich, moving, and at times laugh-out-loud funny, Rescuing Penny Jane ultimately explores what it is to be a Canis lupus familiaris and what it is to be a Homo sapien.

The healing, beauty, and joy of the animal shelter system Without volunteers, our nation's animal shelter system simply would not exist. Volunteers speak for those that cannot speak, pick up the pieces for abandoned animals that have been let down by previous owners or unfortunate circumstances, and do whatever it takes to heal the deepest of wounds.In Finding Shelter, award-winning photographer Jesse Freidin shows the softer side of this story. He witnessed firsthand how many of the volunteers were able to mend their own emotional hurts with the love the shelter animals gave back to them, and how the power of these relationships transforms shelters into places where humans and animals can heal together. This realization propelled him to take a two-year journey across the country to document the tenderness and healing, beauty and joy he encountered within the shelter system. The result is a heartwarming inspiration for people to look differently at how to save shelter pets. In Finding Shelter, Freidin sparks a new discussion about animal rescue and what it feels like to truly love an animal.