Saving Lives and Changing Hearts: Animal Sanctuaries and Rescue Centers

by Rob Laidlaw

Enraptured with raptors? Love lions? Protective of pelicans? Rob Laidlaw's latest book has something for everyone. Having exposed the cruel treatment of animals in zoos and the entertainment industry with his two previous books, Rob Laidlaw sets out to show a more positive side of the human-animal relationship: animal sanctuaries. From a bird rescue center in Los Angeles to a bear rescue center in China, this book examines numerous efforts around the world to rescue and care for animals in need.

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction, Science

64 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2012

About the author

For more than thirty years, Rob Laidlaw has devoted his life to protecting animals. He is the founder of several animal protection organizations, including Zoocheck Canada, a wildlife protection group. He regularly speaks to groups of all ages about animal issues and how individuals can empower themselves to effect change. Rob resides in Toronto, Ontario.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filled with colorful photographs and stories of success in improving the lives of animals that have been mistreated in the past, this book takes readers on a global tour of animal sanctuaries. The author chooses to devote much of the book's text to good sanctuaries rather than the ones that are sanctuaries only in name or the ones that have landed in news headlines because of horrors. Instead, after defining and characterizing sanctuaries, he briefly touches down in the most unlikely places in the book's thirteen chapters, visiting Donkey Sanctuary of Canada, Cedar Row Farm Sanctuary, Animals Asia, and American Tortoise Rescue. While the animals are the stars in this book, the heart is provided by the men and women who work so hard to create and maintain a safe place for the animals that are rescued and need time to healor in need of a forever home. The author even offers tips for how young readers can get involved, including back matter listing the websites of a selected partial list of sanctuaries and animal organizations. It seems that there are a lot of good deeds being done on behalf of animals, and the author reminds readers that animals deserve to be treated humanely throughout their lives. Fans of performing animals and zoos will probably not enjoy this book. Here's another way students can get involved and make a difference in the world around them.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colorful and attractively presented, this book looks at a variety of animal sanctuaries and the reasons why animals require rescue. Legitimate sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers around the world are profiled, each with an in-depth "biography" of an individual animal living there.

The author doesn't forget to mention a sad fact of the modern animal rescue scene--there are just as many phony animal sanctuaries as real ones. Phony sanctuaries often act as nonprofit fronts for hoarders, exotic animal breeders/sellers, and other bad situations. The author gives an example of a false front sanctuary that had to be raided by police for extreme animal neglect, and offers some guidelines by which truly humane sanctuaries operate. (For example, true sanctuaries don't breed more animals into the captive environment, and they don't accept more animals than they are capable of caring for.)

While many animal welfare books focus only upon the bad people do to other creatures, this title shows how much good is occurring, as well. Both children and adults are bound to learn something.

[Ratforcekids]

As I was searching for ideas to fill your reading list, I came across this awesome book! It is about animal sanctuaries and rescue centers who save the lives of thousands of animals each year. It is inspiring to learn about everyday people doing outstanding things to help these marvelous creatures. It's especially a good book because we have a number of sanctuaries in and close to Weld County. One of them is the Greenwood Wildlife Sanctuary in Boulder County and the other is The Wild Animal Sanctuary close to Keenesburg, Colorado. Both are awesome places to visit!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saving Lives and Changing Hearts is a cute book because all the animals are so cute,but its also sad how the animals are getting treated. The good thing about this book is that the animals usally can transvered somewhere safe. this book is great

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to the missions and functions of sanctuaries for rescued animals.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable.