Summary
Summary
78 million dogs live as pets in the USA. These are the lucky ones. Five to seven million companion animals enter shelters every year, and more than half are euthanized due to the lack of space.
Miracle Dogs celebrates and honors the rescuers and the dogs whose lives they've saved. It features wonderful stories and photographs of dog rescuers, dog trainers, and rescue organizations such as The Gentle Barn and Tamar Geller's Operation Heroes and Hounds, along with celebrity pet owners such as Chevy Chase, Hoda Kotb, Bob Einstein, Amanda Hearst, Jamie Lynn Siegler, and Lance Bass. Each story includes portraits of the dog and its new family, followed by a concise, compelling narrative detailing the dog's journey to its new home.A professional pet photographer, Liz Stavrinides spends much of her time on projects related to animal rescue. Miracle Dogs was born out of her desire to collect and share the stories of the dogs she's met over the years, showcasing the incredible bravery and compassion of both canines and owners. Readers will be moved by stories like that of Wyatt, an assistance dog who helped a young boy with autism communicate with the outside world, or Fiona, who was found blind and starving and is now in a loving family. All of them have finally found their furever homes. Stavrinides' portraits are heartwarming--a loving and poignant tribute to man's best friend.
Author Notes
Melding her passion for photography with her immense love of dogs, LIZ STAVRINIDES' uniquely creative style emanates from her life-long pursuit of being a professional photographer. Each photograph is filled with the emotion, love and compassion for these incredible rescued animals and showcases their now cherished lives after being saved from unspeakable hardships and overwhelming tribulations. Through her work, Liz wants you to be touched by her photography and warmed by reading amazing stories about the incredible connection between heroes and their canine companions- ultimately helping these and other dogs find their forever homes. Although a San Francisco native, Liz now resides in La Quinta, California with her life-long best friends - her adorable rescued pups. Liz hopes you feel the unconditional love of dogs expressed in her work.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
A professional photographer and volunteer for animal rescues, Stavrinides combines her passions in this heartwarming collection of stories and portraits of 50 amazing dogs and their loving owners. The book opens with a shot of Wyatt, a golden retriever, alongside his best friend, Ashton, a young boy with autism, shyly peering over a railing in the background. Through the companionship of his dog, Ashton developed enough patience and empathy to play little league with kids his own age. The succeeding stories are just as inspiring: Readers meet Kody, the yellow lab that jumped in front of his owner and was bitten three times by a rattlesnake. Not every animal's story is as dramatic as Kody's, but all are just as touching. Max, the massive Rottweiler wins over the hearts of his owners at a Humane Society benefit, and Buddy, the stray golden retriever insists on riding shotgun. Almost every entry is paired with at least one image of the dog-sometimes mid-play or lounging with its owner, sometimes in a portrait setting. Even cat-lovers will have a hard time holding back when they take a look at actor Chevy Chase's lab Chris, grinning with eyes closed. It's an aw-shucks collection sure to inspire a trip to the local shelter. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Review
Whether adopted from a shelter or removed from dangerous situations such as abandonment, neglect, or simply being lost, these lucky dogs all have one thing in common: they hit the jackpot in finding loving, "forever" homes. Pet photographer Stavrinides's title features unevenly written but compelling narratives, each brief entry in this uplifting and inspirational book shows a beautiful image of the dog with its new family. The profound joy of both human and canine is elegantly portrayed in their goofy smiles of happiness. Ordinary individuals along with celebrities such as Chevy Chase, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Shirley Jones, and Chuck Scarborough are featured, and they all recount how they connected with the pictured rescue dog. Many of the stories reflect the reality that it's not always easy to assimilate a rescued dog into family life and that the animals can frequently have difficulty learning "house rules," but that the payoff is enormous. Over and over readers learn about the deep, enduring connection that families make with their rescues and how this has changed life for both parties. VERDICT Essential for dog lovers and those who are active in rescue as well as animal photography fans.-Susan Riley, Mamaroneck P.L., NY (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.