Book for Dog Lovers: The Dog Lady of Mexico

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I don’t know about you, but I’ve been spending a LOT of time reading recently. I’ve always been a book-lover and avid reader, but since the coronavirus shutdown, I’ve been devouring just about every book I can get my hands on.

Most recently, I’ve been reading The Dog Lady of Mexico by Alison Sawyer Current. It’s a fictional novel, based on a true story. It’s heartwarming, inspiring, and sure to tug at the heartstrings of dog lovers and animal rescue supporters everywhere.

From the book’s back cover

Rose’s lifelong dream was to move to a tropical paradise and continue her work as an artist. She imagined waking up by the ocean, sipping her coffee on the beach and heading to her pottery studio. There she would spin sun-drenched inspirations while her husband would share his passion for food at his ocean side cantina. It was all coming together for Rose when a good deed changed her life forever. Little did she know that this small favor would gradually become an obsession that she could not ignore. Take a trip with The Dog Lady of Mexico – a fictional novel based on a true story. Follow this heart-wrenching journey of love, loss and survival while building an animal rescue on the tiny island of Isla Mujeres in Mexico.

Part of the book sale proceeds will go to support Isla Animals, the rescue organization Alison founded in Mexico in 2004.

The Dog Lady of Mexico is available in paperback here, and is also currently FREE to read with Kindle Unlimited.

If you haven’t done so already, you can sign up here for 2 months FREE of Kindle Unlimited ($19.98 value). You get unlimited access to over 1 million books, magazines, audio narration, and more. And you don’t need a Kindle device…read on any phone, tablet, PC or device using the Kindle app.

High School Author Book Proceeds Help Animals in Need

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There’s a new book for YA Fiction Fans from high school student author, 17 year old Gracie Dix. It’s Welcome To Superhero School (The Vork Chronicles Book 1). It’s an action-packed adventure of friendship, hardship, and humor.

You’ll be interested to know that Gracie is an animal lover and one of the characters in Welcome to Superhero School was actually inspired by her own dog, Snowball.

To help give back, Gracie has decided that $1 from each book sold, up to $10,000 will be donated to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals International (SPCAI). 100% of this donation will go directly towards advancing the safety and well-being of animals.

With Stay at Home orders still in place, now is the perfect time to do some reading and help support this young author. Use this link to read more and order a copy.

7 Nonfiction Books About Rescue Animals (That Aren’t Dogs)

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Dog-loving readers have probably read at least a few books about rescue dogs. Their wonderful tales can be both heartbreaking and heart-warming. What you might not have realized is that there are lots of books with true stories about other types of rescue animals as well. Here’s a list with reading recommendations for some great books about rescue animals and the humans who help save and care for them. Spoiler Alert: the animals ends up rescuing their humans as well.

We hope you enjoy and are inspired to read and share these stories with friends & family!

Saving Simon: How a Rescue Donkey Taught Me the Meaning of Compassion
In the spring of 2011, the book’s author Jon Katz received a phone call that would challenge every idea he ever had about mercy and compassion. An animal control officer had found a neglected donkey on a farm in upstate New York, and she hoped that Jon and his wife, Maria, would be willing to adopt him.

Jon wasn’t planning to add another animal to his home on Bedlam Farm, certainly not a very sick donkey. But the moment he saw the wrenching sight of Simon, he felt a powerful connection. Simon touched something very deep inside of him. Jon and Maria decided to take him in. [Read more…]

Goats of Anarchy: One Woman’s Quest to Save the World One Goat At A Time
Probably the most famous goats on Instagram, Goats of Anarchy takes you on a tour of animal rescue guru and full-time goat mama Leanne Lauricella’s goat rescue farm. This is a place where special-needs goats can heal, grow, and butt heads to their hearts’ content. [Read more…]

A Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life
When street musician James Bowen found an injured cat curled up in the hallway of his apartment building, he had no idea how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London, barely making enough money to feed himself, and the last thing he needed was a pet. Yet James couldn’t resist helping the strikingly intelligent but very sick animal, whom he named Bob. He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining that he would never see him again. But Bob had other ideas. [Read more…]

Joey: How a Blind Rescue Horse Helped Others Learn to See
At the height of his show career, this beautiful Appaloosa’s majestic stature, strength, and willingness to work made him the perfect partner. But when an injury cost Joey his show career, he moved from one owner to the next, ultimately experiencing severe abuse and neglect. A rescue group found Joey nearly dead from starvation―and blind. Then he came to Hope Reins―a ranch dedicated to helping hurting kids who had been abused. [Read more…]

Soul of a Lion: One Woman’s Quest to Rescue Africa’s Wildlife Refugees
For animal lovers, nature enthusiasts, and the vast readership for gripping true-life stories, this African saga is a must-read adventure. It chronicles the unique Harnas Wildlife Foundation in Namibia, where Marieta van der Merwe and her family, former wealthy cattle farmers, have sold land to buy and care for embattled wildlife. We meet Sam, the “AIDS” lion infected by mistake at a vet clinic. Boerjke, a baboon with epilepsy and Down syndrome. Savanna, the one-eyed lioness. And Marieta van der Merwe herself, the inspiring proprietor of Harnas who shares her home with needy wild animals. Survivor of an early life fraught with personal tragedy in the African Bush, she now devotes herself as care-giver and ambassador for wildlife and wildland. [Read more…]

Elephant Journey: The True Story of Three Zoo Elephants and their Rescue from Captivity
In 2013, people across North America were riveted by the story of Toka, Thika, and Iringa, the last three elephants at the zoo in Toronto, Ontario. Lonely for a larger herd, sick from the cold climate, and weak from standing for long days in a too-small concrete enclosure, the elephants desperately needed a change. The zoo and animal activists agreed that they should be moved to a healthier home, but the best option―the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) sanctuary in distant California―seemed like an impossible dream. [Read more…]

My Gentle Barn: Creating a Sanctuary Where Animals Heal and Children Learn to Hope
Ellie Laks started The Gentle Barn after adopting a sick goat from a run-down petting zoo in 1999. Some two hundred animals later (including chickens, horses, pigs, cows, rabbits, emus, and more), The Gentle Barn has become an extraordinary nonprofit that brings together a volunteer staff of community members and at-risk teens to rehabilitate abandoned and/or abused animals. As Ellie teaches the volunteers to care for the animals, they learn a new language of healing that works wonders on the humans as well. [Read more…]

New Dean Russo Art Book Release and Giveaway

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Dean Russo Animal Art Book

Animal lovers rejoice. There’s a new book release from artist Dean Russo. It’s a gorgeous retrospective spanning the artist’s entire career to date. From early cartoon character drawings to his iconic animal illustrations, this book makes the perfect gift idea and is certain to bring joy to everyone on your holiday gift list!

For those not familiar, Dean Russo is a wildly popular Brooklyn-based artist with a unique graphic style. Inspired by his love of dogs and animals, he uses vibrant pop art colors and bold patterns to portray the energy and soul of his subjects. Mixed media artworks include pastels, pencils, oils, Sharpies, spray cans, liquid acrylics and more.

Dean Russo Art Book Giveaway

The book, Dean Russo: A Retrospective, includes 200 amazing images, and is being officially released in hardcover on 11/13.

It’s available for pre-order now at an amazing price, including Amazon’s pre-order price guarantee.

Order now and if the Amazon price decreases between your order time and the end of the day of the release date, you’ll receive the lowest price. Also be sure to click the coupon on the book description page before adding it to your cart for an additional discount.

Dean Russo Book Giveaway (4 Winners!)

To celebrate the release of Dean Russo: A Retrospective, we’ve got 4 copies to give away!

Use the Rafflecopter contest widget below to claim your entries. The giveaway is open to US residents and ends at 11:59ET on 11/13/18 so our winners will be among the first to get their paws on a copy. Good luck everybody!

  [Read more…]

Goats of Anarchy: One Woman’s Quest to Save the World One Goat At A Time

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If you love cute animals and spend any time on the internet, then you’ve probably seen Goats of Anarchy. If not, stop what you are doing and watch this adorable video to see the story of one of the rescue goats in her duck costume (she wears it like a dog wears a ThunderShirt, to calm her anxiety):

Too cute, right?!? Anyway, there’s a new Goats of Anarchy book being released in a few days and it’s available to order NOW. It should ship out on March 15th, but may sell out quickly, as popular internet sensations are known to do. As with all Amazon book orders, it comes with the pre-release guarantee. Order now and if the price decreases before it is released, you only pay the lower price.

Order: Goats of Anarchy: One Woman’s Quest to Save the World One Goat At A Time. Hardcover; March 15, 2017.

From the publisher: Get ready to party—the goats are back in town! Based on the popular Instagram account, Goats of Anarchy takes you on a tour of Leanne’s goat rescue farm, a place where special-needs goats can heal, grow, and butt heads to their hearts’ content.

Join Pocket, Ella, Chibs, Lyla, Prospect and Polly–the goat who took the Internet by storm with her adorable duck costume–as they rumble, snuggle, pig out, dress up, and even teach you a few goat yoga moves to loosen your haunches. Whether they’re learning to walk or just romping around the farm, these horned and hooved heartbreakers will have you grinning ear to ear as they chew the scenery—literally!

About the author: Also known as “Goat Mama,” Leanne Lauricella is the founder of Goats of Anarchy, a non-profit organization that aims to rescue and rehabilitate baby goats with special needs. As a former city girl with a passion and compassion for animals, Leanne has developed a wildly popular and Webby award-winning Instagram account and continues to provide goats a happy and loving forever home at her sanctuary. When she left New York City for the wilds of New Jersey in 2011, Leanne Lauricella knew nothing about animal sanctuaries. She started her Instagram account, @goatsofanarchy, shortly after getting her first two goats, Jax and Opie. Today, Leanne’s Instagram has over 400,000 followers, and is the winner of the 2016 People’s Voice Webby Award for Animal-Based Social Media Account. [Read more…]