Rescue Dogs: Portraits and Stories

Some of the best dogs people have had have come from the many wonderful rescue organizations that take abandoned dogs and find new homes for them. Author Susannah Maynard is an animal advocate as well as a photographic artist. She has photographs and little stories of more than a hundred dogs, almost all of which have found homes through these organizations. Arranged in five sections — Puppies, Adult Dogs, Seniors, Special Needs, and Groups — each has a photograph (occasionally more than one) and a very short write-up. The text tells about the breed and something about the dog’s story — how it got to the shelter, how it was adopted, or something about the photograph. The writing is fine, but the brief stories are disappointing. The author states her purpose is to encourage people to look to rescues to find pets, but the stories don’t really create interest. And, after all, almost every dog in the book already has a home. The photos are great. Some are shots are taken in a studio, some outdoors, and dogs even wear costumes in some of them, but all are really attractive. This book is a great concept but falls short of the promise it could have.