Little Boy Blue: A Puppy's Rescue from Death Row and His Owner's Journey for Truth
"Kavin masterfully weaves her life with Blue into the storyline, and does a great job presenting all of this information in an engrossing and inspirational narrative that reads like a page-turner police procedural.This is a compelling, important book that should be read by everyone who loves dogs."--The Barkmagazine"Kavin crafts a readable and compelling depiction of the inefficacies of the taxpayer-funded shelter system and the people who have assumed the responsibility of shuttling animals across the country, from near-death to a new 'leash' on life."--Publisher's Weekly"Anger, heartbreak, and happiness are just a few of the emotions you'll experience as you read this book. Kavin is not timid, and goes right to the people in charge of the shelters to ask the 'hows,' 'whys' and 'how could you?' questions that you too, will want answered. She introduces the reader to numerous groups working, against the odds, to save as many dogs as possible. And while she uses plenty of statistics and facts to back up everything she says, the book reads like a mystery unfolding and not a technical journal on the world of animal shelters. If you love dogs, this is one book you must read. It's too important not to bring to light the awful truths surrounding our 'throw-away' dogs."--Feathered Quill Book Reviews"Freelance journalist Kavin (The Everything Travel Guide to Italy, <2010, etc.) hunts down the story of what happened to her rescue dog Boy Blue."In 2010, the author helped rescue Blue from certain death in an animal shelter in North Carolina. She found him online and was able to quickly provide the lucky survivor with a loving home, where he has flourished. Learning that her new companion might have been infected with ringworm and fearing "that something about his situation had been horribly, horribly wrong," she applied her investigating skills to uncovering the trail. Her first step was contacting Lulu's Rescue co-founder Michele Armstrong, who told her that Blue had been "headed for the gas chamber." The trail then led her to Person County Animal Rescue volunteers in North Carolina, who introduced her to the brutal conditions that Blue faced when he got dumped into the animal shelter. There are 13,000 rescue groups listed online at Petfinder.com, all struggling to find homes for unwanted puppies. The author describes them as functioning "like a modern day version of the underground railroad," and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Many unaffiliated volunteers are also involved in rescue efforts. The rescue groups often set standards for shelters and promote the spaying and neutering of animals put up for adoption, as well as finding loving homes, but money and volunteers are in short supply. This book chronicles one of the success stories. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Petfinder.com Foundation."A moving call to action."  --Kirkus Reviews"A moving call to action"--Kirkus Reviews