3 out of 4 stars
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Are you an animal lover who would like to know more about becoming a rescue hero? Have you ever wondered about alternatives when it comes to surrendering a pet to a shelter? Dr. Mark McMorris Jr wrote Read This Book...and Save a Life! as a comprehensive guide for readers who want to make a significant difference by saving the lives of furry friends. He provides step-by-step guidelines for readers who are surrendering a beloved pet to a shelter, seeking to adopt a rescue animal or desiring to become a rescue advocate in their community. He also addresses common misconceptions regarding animal welfare in many so-called humane shelters and the importance of identifying no-kill shelters.
The book is divided into three parts. Part 1 is dedicated to educating, informing, and understanding, regarding alternatives to placing pets in shelters and revealing their inhumane practices. Dr. McMorris emphasizes the preferable options of finding a home for a beloved pet with a trusted acquaintance or placement with a rescue organization rather than surrendering to a shelter. He makes the important distinction between shelters that euthanize animals and no-kill shelters and educates the reader about the stark realities that occur once an animal is placed in a shelter. Dr. McMorris stresses the importance of research regarding shelter policies. He also addresses some little-known facts including that the Humane Society does euthanize animals and that certain breeds such as Pit Bulls, are given less time to live in shelters based on breed reputation. Part 2 is designated for guiding the reader through the rescue process from including family members in the decision to preparing your home for your new pet in advance. Dr. McMorris advocates saving lives by adopting pets from kill-shelters. He offers helpful advice on topics such as tips when visiting shelters, selecting your new family member, and simple training techniques for your furry friend before he enters your home and after. Part 3 provides readers with the opportunity to make a difference in their local communities by joining Mark's Animal Rescue Network. There is no cost to members who can serve as mini-rescue organizations from the comfort of their homes. Dr. McMorris also shares the most effective ways to advocate through social media by focusing on one animal at a time and working with local county shelters.
With 79 pages, the book is a quick read that is concise and surprisingly comprehensive. In each section, Dr. McMorris literally covers any question a reader might have. I learned so much from this book regarding shelter practices and the lesser-known differences between the kill and no-kill shelters. His distinction is clear that the goal should be to surrender pets to no-kill shelters but rescue them from kill-shelters. Additionally, Dr. McMorris shares helpful tips on topics such as establishing the Alpha, leash and crate training, feeding, and bedtime routines. For readers who are interested in more information about his rescue organization, I found his website to be resourceful and very professional.
The strength of this book was the author's passionate writing style which was conveyed throughout the book. I was particularly moved by his plea to consider a pet's feelings before removing it from its home. "To my mind, it's very much like being led from your cozy bed, in your comfortable home, in the middle of the night, and being taken to a prison. Once there you will be locked in a cell, and given absolutely no explanation as to why this is occurring. Why you have been removed from your loved ones, why you will not see them again, what crime you could have possibly committed in order for this fate to befall you." I also appreciated his insights on why social media isn't always an effective tool for animal rescue. He concluded that many well-meaning animal lovers are ineffective by posting comments and sharing posts about established animals rather than focusing on one local animal at a time.
There were some editorial issues with the book. Most distracting was the author's tendency to write incomplete thoughts as sentences. The recurring pattern resulted in a lack of clarity even after rereading. Additionally, there were some punctuation errors. This example illustrates both of the issues. "Of the unfortunate realities which face our companion animals our abused and neglected animals, our surrendered and stray animals." As much as I wanted to give this informative book the highest rating, these types of errors hindered its professionalism. Therefore, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Correcting the errors will easily bring the book to the full four stars.
I recommend this book to animal lovers and readers who are interested in animal rescue. Additionally, I concur with Dr. McMorris's suggestion of introducing teens and children to the benefits of animal rescue in teaching them kindness and compassion.
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Read this book...And SAVE A LIFE
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when I get a little money I buy books; and if I have any left l buy food and clothes
