Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays (Library Binding)

by Peg Kehret (Author), Greg Farrar (Illustrator, Photographer) "ZORRO, A GREAT DANE/mixed breed dog, was eight weeks old when he first came to the Humane Society..." (more)
Key Phrases: shelter dogs, service dogs, kennel cough, Humane Society, New York, Delta Society (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-Written with affection and conviction, these anecdotes chronicle the lives of eight unwanted strays who were dumped at animal shelters, many at the Humane Society of Seattle/King County in Washington State. After their adoptions, these dogs went on to accomplish great things and changed the lives of their loving owners. Each story begins with a black-and-white photo of the canine and proud human companion, and closes with a short section on a topic of related interest. The writing is clear and straightforward, letting the drama and pathos of the dogs' triumphs, and the owners' dedication, carry the stories. It is hard to remain unmoved by the tale of Kirby, a small terrier mix, who was left for six days in an apartment when his elderly owner died in the hospital. Hostile and unapproachable, he was scheduled to be put to sleep until he was asked to go for a walk. Recognizing the word, he came out of his shell and became once again the loving dog he had always been. Joey became a service dog for his owner, who had multiple sclerosis, and learned to open doors, pick up items, and eventually served as an ambassador for a nonprofit organization that promotes the human-health benefits of keeping pets. These short stories should appeal to reluctant readers because of their length and irresistible subject matter, they will be popular with animal lovers, and they may even inspire families to adopt a shelter dog.
Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Library, Belcamp, MD
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Animal lovers will enjoy these eight short stories about shelter dogs going on to do great things. Among the dogs featured are Tracker, who was adopted by an animal trainer and has starred in TV commercials and movies; Ivan, who was trained by a hearing-impaired woman and ended up saving the lives of both the woman and her daughter when the fire alarm sounded; and amazing Bridgett, who can predict an epileptic seizure up to 20 minutes before it actually happens. A black-and-white photo of the dog and its owner begins each story, and a short section on a related topic (such as fire prevention) ends the segment. Kids will find the heroics appealing, but the book's greatest achievement may be its potential for increasing adoptions from shelters. Lauren Peterson

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Library Binding: 134 pages
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (May 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807573345
• ISBN-13: 978-0807573341
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #734,302 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stray Dogs/Shelter Dogs, December 1, 2003

A Kid's Review

This book has only some examples of shelter dogs who become part of a family. Zorro,Kirby,Ian,Tracker, and Joey are some of the characters, or dogs, in this wonderful book. Kirby is a westie who's owner died. Kirby was left alone in his house without food or water for seven days before he was discovered. When People came to get him, he snarled and snapped. They could not put him up for adoption. Right before they put him to sleep, while they were trying to get a leash on him, a woman asked if he would like to go for a walk. When he heard that word, he turned into an affectionate, loving pup. That was one example of the interesting stories in this book. With shelter dogs who become seizure alert dogs, actors, and family dogs, this is truly a great book!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars shelter dogs, June 17, 2003

A Kid's Review

Zorro,Tracker,Kirby,Joey,These are a few of the amazing dogs I read about in Peg Kehrets book called Shelter dogs . Amazing storys of adopted stays. This book will take your heart away when you read how these dogs survide there tragical lives. This story is about dogs that were given to the Humane Society because the owners cn't take good care of them.

I liked this book because it taught lessons on responsibility, trust, and courage. I would recommend this book to others because if you're a dog lover you'll like it. It teaches good lessons about being nice to animals. My favorite story was about a dog named Zorro. Zorro was a very big dog with a lot of energy. He had something called kennel cough. Zorro was a very loving and caring dog and thats what I liked.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyed these touching/heart warming stories, March 23, 1999

By A Customer

I was very impressed by her stories of these amazing dogs. My daughter, Jessica, has a story in this book called "Danny". I read all the chapters and caught my emotions going from tearful to happy. She does a beautiful job writing the story. Am proud we are part of this. I believe these stories do show that shelter dogs do make wonderful pets!