Allen Anderson

3.5 stars

This book looks at the volunteers and organizations that went to help the animals left behind when people evacuated New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It also looks at disaster planning for animals (which was pretty much nonexistent at the time), and how that could change going forward.

I had it in my head that this would look at more than just the one disaster, but I guess there was enough for the book with just Katrina and aftermath. It was chaos. It was hard to understand why some people were turned away due to not being “trained” (so some volunteers went “rogue”), but later in the book they explained why that would be the case. And untrained people can help elsewhere (as opposed to going door to door in a boat to pull animals out of the houses). Not surprisingly, the stories of specific people and their pets were the most interesting here. Overall, it was good.… (more)

Have you ever wondered if you love your dog too much? Well, if you are a woman who loves spending every spare moment with your dog and appreciate and treasure the love and bond you have with your dog, this book is a must read. You will laugh and cry, just as I did, at each of these stories. Not only will you feel connected with these women, but you will fall in love with their dogs as well. You will walk away with a profound understanding that dogs truly are spiritual teachers and our best friends, and to deny that, would mean less of a life lived. These stories will fill your heart up with love and you will find yourself running to hug your canine friend.

I was truly honored to have been chosen as one of the feature stories in this book about my special relationship with my disabled dachshund who zooms happily through life in a doggie wheelchair. I truly hope to continue to bring a positive face to pets with special needs through my stories and books about her. I'm thankful to authors Linda and Allen Anderson for their support.… (more)