Toward the end of my ninth year of English Bulldog rescue, I found myself in the all-too-common position of having to accept a surrender of yet another Bulldog named "Tank." Since we had had five other "Tanks" given up to us already in 2007, I had to name him "Tank 6".
I thought it would be a great idea to put together a book of breed rescue organizations' pet peeves, so to speak, as they related to the awfully common names stuck on purebred dogs. As I began to gather the info, it became clear that only a minority of the public interested in adoption even knows about the advantages of getting a dog from a breed rescue.
The book grew in scope almost by itself, demanding additional chapters be added, much like a dog insisting on extra treats even though it just received a whole bowl of kibble. I drew on my experiences in municipal shelters as well as private breed rescue, sometimes laughing or crying as I wrote. If, through this book, even one family chooses breed adoption instead of buying a puppy from a pet store or backyard breeder; if just one operation to correct a dog's disability is paid for through these donated proceeds; then I will have achieved my goal.
I have written many articles about breed rescue, conducted dozens of adoption interviews, participated in lots of transports, and organized rescue fundraisers. A former newspaper editor and movie reviewer, my "day job" is that of court reporter, a profession I love. My passion, however, lies in doing what needs to be done to be in the honored position of holding the gentle, soft head of a once-abandoned dog in my hands, whispering to him or her, "You will never suffer again. Tomorrow you're going to your forever home."
