With the increased popularity of adoption, more animal lovers than ever are turning to shelters to find that special cat or dog. But for some pets, the journey to a "forever home" is much more challenging than others-with physical or behavioral needs that require extra love and care.
Take Goose, for example: an elder pup with a distinctive "honk" and a severe heart condition, who still grasped at life with joy and gusto. Or Tiny, who stayed at the shelter for months while the staff and veterinarians tried to figure out his condition, and was finally adopted by a couple who loved him to the moon and back.
These are just a couple of the pets featured in Tails of Joy, an upbeat and heartwarming celebration of pets with special needs and their relationships with the humans who eventually become their lifelong companions.
The dogs and cats featured may come from very different circumstances, but one theme remains the same throughout: the love, joy, and happiness owners experience after adopting these incredible animals show the healing power of the bond that develops between humans and their pets.
About the Author: Gretchen Dale is a graduate of Northwestern University who has had a long career working in the home textiles field.
As a small child, she discovered her love for animals-bringing every animal she could find home to her mother. Eventually she found her passion volunteering at an animal shelter, where she enjoys working with special-needs animals and finding them forever homes.
Dale currently sits on the boards of several different animal shelters, while continuing to volunteer. She lives in Branford, Connecticut, with her partner, Carl, and her dog, Chloe-who, along with a very special dog named Goose, was her inspiration for writing the book Tails of Joy.
