Little Boy Blue: A Puppy's Rescue from Death Row and His Owner's Journey for Truth - Hardcover

"Freelance journalist Kavin (The Everything Travel Guide to Italy, 2010, etc.) hunts down the story of what happened to her rescue dog Boy Blue. "In 2010, the author helped rescue Blue from certain death in an animal shelter in North Carolina. She found him online and was able to quickly provide the lucky survivor with a loving home, where he has flourished. Learning that her new companion might have been infected with ringworm and fearing "that something about his situation had been horribly, horribly wrong," she applied her investigating skills to uncovering the trail. Her first step was contacting Lulu's Rescue co-founder Michele Armstrong, who told her that Blue had been "headed for the gas chamber." The trail then led her to Person County Animal Rescue volunteers in North Carolina, who introduced her to the brutal conditions that Blue faced when he got dumped into the animal shelter. There are 13,000 rescue groups listed online at Petfinder.com, all struggling to find homes for unwanted puppies. The author describes them as functioning "like a modern day version of the underground railroad," and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Many unaffiliated volunteers are also involved in rescue efforts. The rescue groups often set standards for shelters and promote the spaying and neutering of animals put up for adoption, as well as finding loving homes, but money and volunteers are in short supply. This book chronicles one of the success stories. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Petfinder.com Foundation. "A moving call to action." --Kirkus Reviews "Anger, heartbreak, and happiness are just a few of the emotions you'll experience as you read this book. Kavin is not timid, and goes right to the people in charge of the shelters to ask the 'hows, ' 'whys' and 'how could you?' questions that you too, will want answered. She introduces the reader to numerous groups working, against the odds, to save as many dogs as possible. And while she uses plenty of statistics and facts to back up everything she says, the book reads like a mystery unfolding and not a technical journal on the world of animal shelters. If you love dogs, this is one book you must read. It's too important not to bring to light the awful truths surrounding our 'throw-away' dogs." --Feathered Quill Book Reviews "A moving call to action"-- Kirkus Reviews "Kavin masterfully weaves her life with Blue into the storyline, and does a great job presenting all of this information in an engrossing and inspirational narrative that reads like a page-turner police procedural.This is a compelling, important book that should be read by everyone who loves dogs." --The Bark magazine "Kavin crafts a readable and compelling depiction of the inefficacies of the taxpayer-funded shelter system and the people who have assumed the responsibility of shuttling animals across the country, from near-death to a new 'leash' on life." --Publisher's Weekly

When journalist Kim Kavin decided that she wanted a puppy, she did what millions of people do every year: clicked on an online photo and submitted an application. She had no idea that the adorable brindle--advertised as healthy and near her home in New Jersey--was actually a last-minute rescue from a gas-chamber shelter in North Carolina. Blue had arrived in the Northeast with at least a dozen other dogs in an RV that is just one among countless transports whose sponsors are dedicating their efforts to saving dogs by any means possible. Blue was happy and friendly, but he seemed to have endured some unusual albeit unknown ordeal. The dog's manner prompted Kavin to trace his history all the way back to a long row of cages where Blue had been tagged to be put down in just three more days. Little Boy Blue is the true story of one sweet puppy's journey of survival. It's also a shocking expos that describes a brutal ongoing reality inside some of this country's taxpayer-funded shelters. But Little Boy Blue also tells an inspiring story of the grass-roots rescue network that has exploded across the nation in recent years. Readers will come to know and love a very special dog who now brings smiles to the faces of everyone he meets. From a single click of Kim Kavin's computer mouse, Blue's journey of a lifetime began. This is the story of Little Boy Blue, told with candor and a great deal of love.