Lost and Found: Dogs, Cats, and Everyday Heroes at a Country Animal Shelter [Paperback]

Elizabeth Hess (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2000

Elizabeth Hess, a journalist and former art critic, walked into the Columbia Greene Animal Shelter in upstate New York looking for a new dog. Touched by the animals' plight and the dedication of the workers, she began to volunteer at the shelter on a regular basis. In Lost and Found, Hess brings you behind the scenes in this thorough examination of the day-to-day workings of the shelter. From the weekly adoption days, when families come to find a new dog or cat, to investigations of animal abuse and a thrilling puppy mill raid, we come to know both the animals and their caretakers on a deeply personal level. With a keen eye for detail and profound emotional insight, Hess dispels common myths about shelter animals and captures the boundless compassion and courage of the people who comfort and defend them, especially during their desperate efforts to find homes for the animals, lest they be put to sleep. A vivid portrait of a world many of us are blissfully unaware of, Lost and Found is "a must-read for every pet owner" (Seattle Times).

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

For some people, animal shelters seem dark, desperate places. All terrified barks and frightened hisses, the shelter is the last stop for many an animal on what has too often been a painful journey. For others, the shelter is a place of hope, where the perfect dog or cat waits to be adopted. In her time spent volunteering at the Columbia-Greene Humane Society, author Elizabeth Hess discovered that shelter life couldn't be defined in such simple terms. In this "subterranean animal culture," life is a "complex mix of people and animals, emotion and ideology ... where life and death decisions are made as regularly as coffee."

Hess, an arts journalist who has written for the Village Voice and the Washington Post among other publications, first visited the shelter to adopt a dog for her daughter. A "series of ramshackle buildings and a shabby trailer, surrounded by a few chickens and a couple of contented cats," the Columbia-Greene Humane Society grounds were humble at best. But what Hess found inside the shelter inspired her to write Lost and Found: Dogs, Cats, and Everyday Heroes at a Country Animal Shelter. From the dog kennels and the cat rooms to a puppy mill raid and rides in the shelter ambulance, Hess introduces innumerable animals and humans who will inspire, educate, and break your heart. With more than 20 million animals ending up in shelters each year in the United States alone, Hess's demand to rethink our relationships with domestic animals couldn't have come at a better time. Perceptive, well-written, and utterly moving, Lost and Found is a rare find indeed. --Stefanie Hargreaves

From Library Journal

Hess has volunteered for the Columbia-Greene Humane Society for several years. Combining her obvious passion for such work with the skills she has learned as art critic for the Village Voice, she has produced a solidly written book that takes readers directly into the animal shelter. Like most shelters, the one featured here is short on money, staff, and time while long on abused and abandoned animals. Hess helps readers understand how and why the people who work in this field-both paid and volunteer-do what they do. She captures the frustrations of animal welfare advocates-too often confused with animal rights advocates-who feel trapped cleaning up the mess that the uncaring or irresponsible create while facing accusations from no-kill advocates. Anyone questioning the local animal shelter should read this book for an excellent standard of comparison. Recommended for all animal welfare collections.?Alicia Graybill, Lincoln City Libs., NE
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Harvest Books (April 17, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 015601288X
• ISBN-13: 978-0156012881
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #687,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful-Mesmerizing-Unforgettable!, August 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Lost and Found: Dogs, Cats, and Everyday Heroes at a Country Animal Shelter (Paperback)

I could not get enough of this book. I found myself stealing away to read it at odd times as if it was the latest best selling fiction novel. From the first sentence to the last, Elizabeth Hess sweeps you into the world of the county animal shelter. Although the Columbia-Greene Humane Society, of which she writes, is extraordinary in its first rate interest in the animals in its care,the stories of the animals there are those of the millions and millions of discarded animals that end up in shelters everywhere. In addition to being an extremely atmospheric and captivating read, Hess does an excellent job of telling it like it is with a good balance of the bitter and the sweet. Buy this book for yourself and all those who care about the welfare of animals- THIS BOOK WILL STAY IN YOUR HEART FOR YEARS TO COME, I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gets it right., January 4, 2002

By 

Heather Lowe "hslowe" (Corning NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lost and Found: Dogs, Cats, and Everyday Heroes at a Country Animal Shelter (Hardcover)

I volunteer at my local animal shelter every day. I see it all--the ignorant humans, the frightened pets, the happy endings and the all-too-frequent deaths. Lost and Found does a terrific job of telling the animal welfare tale, and it hits all the issues while remaining utterly readable and thoroughly gripping. If you want the inside scoop on what goes on at animal shelters, this is your book. Moving, inspiring, and TRUE.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required reading for all current and wannabe pet owners, October 28, 2002

By 

E. Chapa "E" (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lost and Found: Dogs, Cats, and Everyday Heroes at a Country Animal Shelter (Hardcover)

Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. I'm among those who do know what kind of responsibility it takes to own a dog. I'm the happy 'Mom' of 2 terriers, one of which is a rescue dog. It is true about rescued animals - they know they've been given another chance and will give you their love many times over.

Elizabeth Hess was down to earth in showing the trials and successes an animal shelter goes through. If you know someone who's not sure about getting a pet, I highly suggest they read this book. It'll make them think twice. If you know someone with misconceptions that all shelter animals get homes, give them this book as a wakeup call! A pet can take up as much or more of your time than a human baby, but the human race has made dogs, cats and other animals disposeable. There are happy endings as well as sad in the book, but it's worth buying. As the kids would say, we give it a 2 paws up!