True Tales of Love and Rescue from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
According to the Press Release for this book: “Battersea Dogs and Cats Home is the UK’s oldest and most famous home for dogs and cats. The home aims never to turn away a dog or cat in need of help, reuniting lost animals with their owners or caring for them until new homes can be found. Battersea also works to educate the public about responsible pet ownership. Every year the Home cares for over 9,000 lost, abandoned and neglected dogs and cats, and in 2010 the Home marked its 150th anniversary.”
Each chapter of this book represents a different rescue and is written by the adopter. And each chapter begins with a paragraph about Battersea and their operation. For example: If a dog is found and brought to Battersea, it becomes their property and available for rehoming if not claimed by its owner in seven days.
The rescue stories are slightly different than those I have read previously as they are as much or more about the human adopter than the animal. But I thoroughly enjoyed finding out how the humans and the animals they adopted interacted, bonded and lived together.
Battersea employs more than 300 individuals and a couple of the stories are about employees who ended up rescuing animals that had seemed unadoptable. One of these animals is a Rottweiler named Star, who had been at Battersea for more than 250 days. The employee, Caroline, who adopts Star already has two dogs. One of those, Ted, a German Spitz, has a personality change after the adoption of Star. She becomes nervous and uncomfortable in her own home, and though various methods are attempted to alleviate the situation, Ted becomes more and more withdrawn. In the end, Ted is rehomed with a friend and Star stays with Caroline. Caroline and her partner feel they are Star’s last chance and that Ted will be fine without them. I found this story very sad; though in the end, both dogs are happy.
One of my favorite stories is that of the Collie, Bryn, who becomes a trained search and rescue dog, and the trust and bond human and dog have to learn and develop.
Other stories include one of a young boy and the dog who helps him deal with an autoimmune disease and one about the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Guinness, who is by her human’s side throughout a diagnosis of and treatment for cancer.
Battersea cares for 190 cats and kittens at any one time. So, if I have any complaints about this book, it would be that only two of the stories are about cats. One of those is about a litter of eight motherless kittens found on Battersea grounds on a freezing winter night. Though all the kittens are fostered by employees and well cared for, only four survive. The story of one of those, Wriggler, warmed my heart.
If you are interested in stories about rescues and the special bonds formed by animal and human, you will enjoy this book, which I think is appropriate for any age.
Royalties from the sale of Lost & Found will go to the Home, which has rescued, reunited and rehomed over 3.1 million dogs and cats since it was founded.
Lost & Found is available from Amazon in paperback for $6.18 or for $7.44 for the Kindle version.
Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this review but did receive a free copy of this book from the Penguin Group.
Pawsum reeview Aunti Janet!!!
We lub hearin about all da kewl bookz ’bout us 4 leggedz dat go thru so much to find dere furever homez…
Can ya eemagin a palce dat can take care of almost 300 of us???
Amazin!!!!!!
Much lub Nylablue n Mum too x0x0x0x0x0x0x0
Wow a hundred and fifty years. Great stuff. We will tell Dad to add it to his list
It sounds like a great book, but we agree, there should be more than 2 cat stories. You did a great job reviewing this book!
Stories about animals whether they are happy or sad make our mommy cry so she can’t read them. She’s weird.
We sure like the found so. much better than the lost!
What a good review. We’ll tell the mom about this book.
Thanks for the great review!
Noodle
Sounds like a (mostly) heartwarming book. Good rescue stories are always fun to read. But more kitties are always better!!! 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Head-butts and kitty-kisses from Sampson to Astrid, and hugs from all of us.
That looks like a great book, we will have to check it out!
Thank for the review ; it’s a very good idea of Battersea to share these successful rescue stories, and get money back to help other furriends in need. Purrs
It sounds like a most interesting book – and yes, different from other rescue stories we’ve read too…….too bad there weren’t more kitty stories! Well done on the review………..
Hugs, Sammy and his Mom
Great review and we know the place well and Paul O Grady is one soppy fab animal lover and a great spokes person for Battersea. Have a fabulous Friday.
Best wishes Molly
Sounds like a wonderful book and fantastic that the proceeds go back into the rescue.
We love the TV show this is based on,you should see some of the pups and kitties that get rescued,breaks your heart and he gets all emotional tooxx Rachel
Meez vewy sad dat dey only included 2 kitty stowwys also. Mommy sez dat shes luvs doggys but dey get purrlenty of ‘press’ and dewfowe lots mowe help den kittys du and it makes hers sad. Cuz cats awe vewy good pets and can du evewfin a doggy can and den sum. But meez du luv a good wescue stowwy so meez glad you enjoyed da book. Hav a Pawsum Furiday, da weekends hewe!!!!
Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses 😀
Dezi
That is a disappointing that they only included two cats. I wonder why. I do love rescue stories, though! Hugs!
It sounds like there aren’t enough cat stories!
I love stories like these. Thanks for the review.