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The Rescue at Dead Dog Beach: One Man's Quest to Find a Home For the World's Forgotten Animals
The powerful, heartbreaking, yet hopeful, story of Steve McGarva's heroic crusade to save the satos, or stray dogs of Puerto Rico, and an impassioned appeal to help all animals in need
Looking for inspiration and adventure in their lives, Steve McGarva and his wife Pam moved to Puerto Rico. While kite surfing at Playa Lucia, Steve made a shocking discovery-a sick and abandoned dog-that would transform his life. With its shimmering white sand, palm trees, and dazzling azure water, the beach looked postcard perfect. But its beauty hid a dark side: To the locals, this slice of paradise was known as Dead Dog Beach-a notorious dumping ground for the island's unwanted canines.
Considered a threat to the area's lucrative tourism industry, these defenseless animals were in constant danger of brutality and death. Enraged, and refusing to accept such cruelty, McGarva began protecting these helpless animals-actions that would jeopardize his marriage, challenge his sanity, and make him a target of locals determined to stop him.
The Rescue at Dead Dog Beach is the story of Steve's fearless dedication to hundreds of dogs, and his efforts to expose their systemic abuse. Exposing the true costs of the tourist industry, it is also a call to arms for animal lovers, offering insights and practical information to help strays anywhere in the world.
Looking for inspiration and adventure in their lives, Steve McGarva and his wife Pam moved to Puerto Rico. While kite surfing at Playa Lucia, Steve made a shocking discovery-a sick and abandoned dog-that would transform his life. With its shimmering white sand, palm trees, and dazzling azure water, the beach looked postcard perfect. But its beauty hid a dark side: To the locals, this slice of paradise was known as Dead Dog Beach-a notorious dumping ground for the island's unwanted canines.
Considered a threat to the area's lucrative tourism industry, these defenseless animals were in constant danger of brutality and death. Enraged, and refusing to accept such cruelty, McGarva began protecting these helpless animals-actions that would jeopardize his marriage, challenge his sanity, and make him a target of locals determined to stop him.
The Rescue at Dead Dog Beach is the story of Steve's fearless dedication to hundreds of dogs, and his efforts to expose their systemic abuse. Exposing the true costs of the tourist industry, it is also a call to arms for animal lovers, offering insights and practical information to help strays anywhere in the world.
226 pages, Hardcover
First published August 26, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
September 22, 2018
I didn’t know what I was getting into when I picked up this book. It took place in Puerto Rico, whose people I love. We had taken a trip there just before the hurricane and loved the island as well. You can imagine how we felt when the hurricane took out the island and people were dying.
But this book was about animal rescue on the island. It was about dogs, horses, and manatees. It was about the cruelty to animals by a small group of men, and about those who just didn’t care what was going on or didn’t know. It was heartbreaking, gut wrenching, and really difficult to read.
I had once helped out at the humane society here where I live but only in their resale shop. I didn’t want to have my heart heavy and my gut tied up in knots by going to meetings and listening to horrible stories or by directly working with the animals that I would have wanted to bring home. At least now, our humane society is shipping dogs to other cities where the laws are so strict that people can’t find any to adopt. At least some cities in America are becoming responsible.
Puerto Rico was another matter. The book went into details about the slaughtering of animals on the beaches near the hotels, slaughtered by men who thought that it was game to run over them, club them to death, take a machete to them or use poison them. It wasn’t a pretty picture, and I kept telling myself that this isn’t the time for me to be reading this book when we had just lost our own 12 year old dog. But I needed to know how it was going to end, so I read on. Like I said, I didn’t know what I was getting into. Rescue is one thing, graphic depictions of how a dog was murdered was another.
It begins with a couple, the wife who had been sent by her company to Puerto Rico to work and her husband who didn’t have a job, and so decided to spend some of his days on the beach. Instead he had found what the locals called Dead Dog Beach, and it is there that this story begins, continues and never ends.
When he first looked around at the beach, what he saw horrified him. There were dead dogs lying around rotting and some that where in the process of dying, others were starving. They needed help in the way of food and medical attention. But don’t imagine that he found veterinarians who would help him with the injured. They wanted nothing to do with stray dogs, but finally one vet in San Juan did step forward. In the meantime, he taught himself how to doctor them.
So every day when he arrived at the beach another dog, if not more, would be dead. Still, the population reached 70 plus before some help arrived in the way of meeting with other people who wanted to help in a big way, and so, yes, at the end of the book you will find ways in which you can also help save animals.
My husband and I once thought that we would want to live in Puerto Rico. I don’t anymore. When the author had an allergic reaction to penicillin, something even I had diagnosed myself when reading this book, the hospital staff, knowing that it was an allergy, gave him drugs to counteract it but never suspected the antibiotic, so kept giving it to him and often forgot to give him the medicine to counteract the allergy. He almost died a few times and no nurse would come to his aid, not that he could reach the help button. If his wife had not walked into his room the few times it was happening, well. Plus, you had to bring your own bedding. I can imagine what it is like now that the hurricane has wiped out the island.
And I didn’t like how some beaches were unsafe and how his rescuing the dogs almost cost him his own life several times. People who have no respect for animal life have no respect for human life either. To think that the police would not protect him and neither would the mayor, well, you can have Puerto Rico.
Still, we never met a person there that we didn’t like and who did not offer kindness or go out of their way to help us in some way. I will always remember the woman, a stranger, who helped me off the floor at the car rental because she didn’t think that I could get up by myself, my being old and all. They had no chairs or benches at the airport car rental, so the reason I was sitting cross-legged on the floor.
And I will never forget the staff at Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn at Luquillo Beach, the kindness that they showed us and the breakfasts that they cooked each morning, served free, and how they brought my husband a bar stool so he could sit on the patio and watch the ocean across the street. (I just called them, and they have reopened as well as has the Boardrider’s Surf Bar and Grill down the street that served the best hamburgers that we had ever eaten. We ate there several times just for the hamburgers. At that cafe there was a dog that came every day to beg for food. He would not come into the cafe or onto the platform outside where the tables and chairs sat but instead would stand near the platform and watch people eat. I tried to feed him, but he ignored my offer. Another couple had the same problem, but then they found that he would only eat meat. Smart dog. I worried about him, but one of the waitresses said that he lived around the corner and just came to get the best of their food, the meat. I think it was the hamburgers.
But this book was about animal rescue on the island. It was about dogs, horses, and manatees. It was about the cruelty to animals by a small group of men, and about those who just didn’t care what was going on or didn’t know. It was heartbreaking, gut wrenching, and really difficult to read.
I had once helped out at the humane society here where I live but only in their resale shop. I didn’t want to have my heart heavy and my gut tied up in knots by going to meetings and listening to horrible stories or by directly working with the animals that I would have wanted to bring home. At least now, our humane society is shipping dogs to other cities where the laws are so strict that people can’t find any to adopt. At least some cities in America are becoming responsible.
Puerto Rico was another matter. The book went into details about the slaughtering of animals on the beaches near the hotels, slaughtered by men who thought that it was game to run over them, club them to death, take a machete to them or use poison them. It wasn’t a pretty picture, and I kept telling myself that this isn’t the time for me to be reading this book when we had just lost our own 12 year old dog. But I needed to know how it was going to end, so I read on. Like I said, I didn’t know what I was getting into. Rescue is one thing, graphic depictions of how a dog was murdered was another.
It begins with a couple, the wife who had been sent by her company to Puerto Rico to work and her husband who didn’t have a job, and so decided to spend some of his days on the beach. Instead he had found what the locals called Dead Dog Beach, and it is there that this story begins, continues and never ends.
When he first looked around at the beach, what he saw horrified him. There were dead dogs lying around rotting and some that where in the process of dying, others were starving. They needed help in the way of food and medical attention. But don’t imagine that he found veterinarians who would help him with the injured. They wanted nothing to do with stray dogs, but finally one vet in San Juan did step forward. In the meantime, he taught himself how to doctor them.
So every day when he arrived at the beach another dog, if not more, would be dead. Still, the population reached 70 plus before some help arrived in the way of meeting with other people who wanted to help in a big way, and so, yes, at the end of the book you will find ways in which you can also help save animals.
My husband and I once thought that we would want to live in Puerto Rico. I don’t anymore. When the author had an allergic reaction to penicillin, something even I had diagnosed myself when reading this book, the hospital staff, knowing that it was an allergy, gave him drugs to counteract it but never suspected the antibiotic, so kept giving it to him and often forgot to give him the medicine to counteract the allergy. He almost died a few times and no nurse would come to his aid, not that he could reach the help button. If his wife had not walked into his room the few times it was happening, well. Plus, you had to bring your own bedding. I can imagine what it is like now that the hurricane has wiped out the island.
And I didn’t like how some beaches were unsafe and how his rescuing the dogs almost cost him his own life several times. People who have no respect for animal life have no respect for human life either. To think that the police would not protect him and neither would the mayor, well, you can have Puerto Rico.
Still, we never met a person there that we didn’t like and who did not offer kindness or go out of their way to help us in some way. I will always remember the woman, a stranger, who helped me off the floor at the car rental because she didn’t think that I could get up by myself, my being old and all. They had no chairs or benches at the airport car rental, so the reason I was sitting cross-legged on the floor.
And I will never forget the staff at Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn at Luquillo Beach, the kindness that they showed us and the breakfasts that they cooked each morning, served free, and how they brought my husband a bar stool so he could sit on the patio and watch the ocean across the street. (I just called them, and they have reopened as well as has the Boardrider’s Surf Bar and Grill down the street that served the best hamburgers that we had ever eaten. We ate there several times just for the hamburgers. At that cafe there was a dog that came every day to beg for food. He would not come into the cafe or onto the platform outside where the tables and chairs sat but instead would stand near the platform and watch people eat. I tried to feed him, but he ignored my offer. Another couple had the same problem, but then they found that he would only eat meat. Smart dog. I worried about him, but one of the waitresses said that he lived around the corner and just came to get the best of their food, the meat. I think it was the hamburgers.
November 30, 2015
Many of the dogs had deep gashes or other open wounds. They didn't look like cuts from ducking under fences; they looked more like someone had cut them deliberately with a huge knife. One little black females front left paw pointed towards the sky. Another small female looked as if she'd been doused in gasoline and set on fire; her skin was charred and split everywhere.
This wasn't an easy read by any means. The atrocities these dogs suffer and continue to suffer at the hands of some of the Puerto Rican locals is astounding to me. So was their capability for forgiveness.
This book makes me never wish to visit Puerto Rico. I wasn't aware of the huge amount of crime and corruption there, nor the very little value they place on these animals. For many they are a source of sport to be beaten, run down by cars or set on fire. Although there are a few kind hearted souls who do attempt to help them. The author being one. I do not envy him having to bury dogs on a daily basis.
I feel like this is an important and eye opening read. I was involved in some of the local rescues, although that was placed on a back burner after having my son and being pregnant with my daughter. Its a difficult line of work, but I feel an important one and one that I fully plan to return to, and hopefully get my kids involved in.
My main issues with the book were the writing style, and the way the author seemed to make everyone around him seem like flaky idiots including people who had been in rescue for some time. And maybe they were, but I can't help but feel that his know it all attitude towards his dogs probably rubbed some the wrong way and it did start to grate on me after a while.
But I do truly admire him for putting his life on the line and saving some dogs.
This wasn't an easy read by any means. The atrocities these dogs suffer and continue to suffer at the hands of some of the Puerto Rican locals is astounding to me. So was their capability for forgiveness.
This book makes me never wish to visit Puerto Rico. I wasn't aware of the huge amount of crime and corruption there, nor the very little value they place on these animals. For many they are a source of sport to be beaten, run down by cars or set on fire. Although there are a few kind hearted souls who do attempt to help them. The author being one. I do not envy him having to bury dogs on a daily basis.
I feel like this is an important and eye opening read. I was involved in some of the local rescues, although that was placed on a back burner after having my son and being pregnant with my daughter. Its a difficult line of work, but I feel an important one and one that I fully plan to return to, and hopefully get my kids involved in.
My main issues with the book were the writing style, and the way the author seemed to make everyone around him seem like flaky idiots including people who had been in rescue for some time. And maybe they were, but I can't help but feel that his know it all attitude towards his dogs probably rubbed some the wrong way and it did start to grate on me after a while.
But I do truly admire him for putting his life on the line and saving some dogs.
August 28, 2014
This is probably one of the best, but also one of the absolute worst books for me to be given as a Good Reads First Read. Having worked with rescue groups that brought in dogs from outside the United States and having had my bleeding heart lead me to adopting 4 dogs of my own, I was already well aware of the horrors that some abandoned animals have to endure. Yes, this book was jarring and heart wrenching, but it's a story that needs to be told, especially for those who aren't aware of what goes on in some countries. Every so often, a horrific story of animal abuse makes national news in the United States and people spring into action, making donations and helping the cause. Eventually, the novelty dies down and people go back to their normal, daily lives. What most people don't realize is that these types of things are daily occurrences in numerous other countries and most people don't care. Even here in the US, most of the atrocities aren't reported, at least not nationally. This book gives a small glimpse into what goes on outside of most peoples' safe, happy world. It's definitely a reality check.
I was instantly sucked into the story and I kept reading, flipping page by page, struggling to correct the blurriness of the words as the tears slipped from the corners of my eyes. I knew that the author had eventually made connections with a rescue to pull the dogs out of Puerto Rico; I just wanted to reach that point in the book and get these dogs out of their horrible situation at a faster rate than what was happening. When rescue space is such a limited commodity, how do you chose who stays and who goes, especially when staying, even for an additional week, could be a death sentence for any one of these dogs?
I read the book in one evening. It was a very quick read, though, admittedly, I did keeping putting it down and reaching for something much, much lighter to set my mind right. However, after a chapter or two of the more positive and light-hearted book, I would reach again for this one. If you can get through heaviness of this book and not allow it to too badly warp the way that you view human nature in regards to stray dogs (or unwanted animals in general), it is a very important read. I sincerely hope that this helps raise awareness and maybe, just maybe, will turn the tides of change.
I was instantly sucked into the story and I kept reading, flipping page by page, struggling to correct the blurriness of the words as the tears slipped from the corners of my eyes. I knew that the author had eventually made connections with a rescue to pull the dogs out of Puerto Rico; I just wanted to reach that point in the book and get these dogs out of their horrible situation at a faster rate than what was happening. When rescue space is such a limited commodity, how do you chose who stays and who goes, especially when staying, even for an additional week, could be a death sentence for any one of these dogs?
I read the book in one evening. It was a very quick read, though, admittedly, I did keeping putting it down and reaching for something much, much lighter to set my mind right. However, after a chapter or two of the more positive and light-hearted book, I would reach again for this one. If you can get through heaviness of this book and not allow it to too badly warp the way that you view human nature in regards to stray dogs (or unwanted animals in general), it is a very important read. I sincerely hope that this helps raise awareness and maybe, just maybe, will turn the tides of change.
August 2, 2022
I was interested in this book after reading Traer Scott's book about stray dogs in Mexico and Puerto Rico. Wow! This book is a lot to digest! It shows the tremendous difficulty involved in trying to do a worthwhile social project in a culture that is new to you! Both the author and the stray dogs were harassed, due to the author's helping the dogs. Tough reading, but a valuable reality-check for bleeding-heart liberals wanting to help animals!
March 11, 2017
One of the toughest animal rescue books I've ever read, if not THE toughest. McGarva wasn't kidding when he put a warning at the beginning of his book. it is not for the faint of heart.
and yet I am deeply touched and inspired by McGarva's story. his Sisyphean battle is heart wrenching, but it defines so much of animal rescue. it really resonated with me, especially during this time of my life. I am incredibly relieved that the epilogue gave some hope as he recounted how his work had affected rescue in areas like Puerto Rico and Mexico.
I think the narrative could have used some tweaking and tightening. he isn't the greatest writer, but I think that is secondary to the message. a lot of times, his voice came off as rather arrogant (his constant insistence that he knew most about his dogs; and his portrayal of almost every other rescuer as a dunce seemed exaggerated). But I am glad to have read this and added it to my collection of rescue literature. it inspires me to want to make a difference with less fortunate dogs again, especially in an area outside my comfort zone.
and yet I am deeply touched and inspired by McGarva's story. his Sisyphean battle is heart wrenching, but it defines so much of animal rescue. it really resonated with me, especially during this time of my life. I am incredibly relieved that the epilogue gave some hope as he recounted how his work had affected rescue in areas like Puerto Rico and Mexico.
I think the narrative could have used some tweaking and tightening. he isn't the greatest writer, but I think that is secondary to the message. a lot of times, his voice came off as rather arrogant (his constant insistence that he knew most about his dogs; and his portrayal of almost every other rescuer as a dunce seemed exaggerated). But I am glad to have read this and added it to my collection of rescue literature. it inspires me to want to make a difference with less fortunate dogs again, especially in an area outside my comfort zone.
November 7, 2014
In THE RESCUE AT DEAD DOG BEACH, Stephan McGarva reaches his tipping point as he witnesses an act of such barbarity he can no longer contain the anger that has been periodically welling up within him.
His story begins when his wife receives a job offer in Puerto Rico. The couple had grown a bit weary of small town Rhode Island life, and jumped at this new adventure. McGarva, an extreme sports athlete and artist, had been feeling lonely since his dog Achate had died, and the small Rhode Island town just didn’t offer the kind of energy he was craving.
But his first outing in Puerto Rico, at Playa Lucia, to go kite surfing takes a horrible turn. Instead of finding a secluded, pristine beach, he is met with the sight of dogs (and one horse) who had been brutalized and left dead or near death along the sands and the perimeter of the jungle. He abandons his surfing plans that day, and instead begins what will become a soul-crushing routine of daily caring for the barely living dogs and burying the dead. Just as Jo Anne Normile fought for the horses as a tribute to Baby, Steve McGarva feels he owes it to Achate’s legend to help the unfortunate animals on the beach. His work gives him purpose, but it also overtakes his life. His marriage suffers, as does his health. But he forges ahead, unwilling to give up.
Within weeks, his pack grows to several dozen, and he finds a few compatriots who also try to ease the suffering of the satos or wild dogs. The dogs are not wild, but abandoned, abused, neglected. Why is a question no one seems to be able to answer, although in some cases, the poor economy where people are simply unable to afford the care of a pet, is to blame. Most of the dogs wear collars, often embedded into their flesh, and all long for affection as much as food and water.
As a consequence of caring for the pack, Stephen McGarva finds himself to be the target of violence. There are plenty of people, he’s told, who think nothing of murdering a stray dog or a stray American, and he is repeatedly cautioned to watch his back. The threats grow in intensity. “I never would have imagined,” he writes, “that animal rescue would become the most extreme sport of my life.” Sporting a machete for protection, he enters a battle that seems unwinnable.
This is not an easy story to read; the horrors he recounts will make animal lovers bristle with anger. But it needs to be told and to be read. What McGarva has accomplished is nothing short of miraculous. His courage and his determination are to be emulated. The emotional toll the experience took on him almost did him in, as with Normile, but like her, he found the inner strength to keep going. And for the satos of Playa Lucia and elsewhere in Puerto Rico, it’s a good thing he did.
His story begins when his wife receives a job offer in Puerto Rico. The couple had grown a bit weary of small town Rhode Island life, and jumped at this new adventure. McGarva, an extreme sports athlete and artist, had been feeling lonely since his dog Achate had died, and the small Rhode Island town just didn’t offer the kind of energy he was craving.
But his first outing in Puerto Rico, at Playa Lucia, to go kite surfing takes a horrible turn. Instead of finding a secluded, pristine beach, he is met with the sight of dogs (and one horse) who had been brutalized and left dead or near death along the sands and the perimeter of the jungle. He abandons his surfing plans that day, and instead begins what will become a soul-crushing routine of daily caring for the barely living dogs and burying the dead. Just as Jo Anne Normile fought for the horses as a tribute to Baby, Steve McGarva feels he owes it to Achate’s legend to help the unfortunate animals on the beach. His work gives him purpose, but it also overtakes his life. His marriage suffers, as does his health. But he forges ahead, unwilling to give up.
Within weeks, his pack grows to several dozen, and he finds a few compatriots who also try to ease the suffering of the satos or wild dogs. The dogs are not wild, but abandoned, abused, neglected. Why is a question no one seems to be able to answer, although in some cases, the poor economy where people are simply unable to afford the care of a pet, is to blame. Most of the dogs wear collars, often embedded into their flesh, and all long for affection as much as food and water.
As a consequence of caring for the pack, Stephen McGarva finds himself to be the target of violence. There are plenty of people, he’s told, who think nothing of murdering a stray dog or a stray American, and he is repeatedly cautioned to watch his back. The threats grow in intensity. “I never would have imagined,” he writes, “that animal rescue would become the most extreme sport of my life.” Sporting a machete for protection, he enters a battle that seems unwinnable.
This is not an easy story to read; the horrors he recounts will make animal lovers bristle with anger. But it needs to be told and to be read. What McGarva has accomplished is nothing short of miraculous. His courage and his determination are to be emulated. The emotional toll the experience took on him almost did him in, as with Normile, but like her, he found the inner strength to keep going. And for the satos of Playa Lucia and elsewhere in Puerto Rico, it’s a good thing he did.
October 23, 2014
I won a copy of this through Goodreads, and I can't express how thankful I am for the opportunity to read this.
I must start this review by saying that this is definitely not an easy read. It is heartbreaking. I will never understand how people can hurts animals simply to hurt them for fun. These are some sick people. Sadly, there are many everywhere. Abandonment of an animal is sad, but injuring is unforgivable in my eyes.
I have actually been to Puerto Rico, and when I saw so many feral dogs, I was shocked. It was very eye opening. I will also remember the feeling I had overcome me when I went to Trinidad and saw sickly and dying dogs in the ditches on the sides of "de roads". It is such commonplace.
After reading this book, I count my blessings that I DID NOT witness humans physically hurting or killing these dogs, as Steve witnessed in Puerto Rico. I cannot even imagine. This man had such a huge heart for "his dogs"! I honestly do not know who he did what he did day in and day out. He is someone I wish I had as a friend!
I highly recommend this book, but I do warn people, that they will need a light read to rotate in and out with this book. It will bring you to tears...
After days of finishing this book, I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. It is so full of passion, love, and dedication to these dogs... The heartache is huge ; the message needed! I have now decided to add this 5 star book to my list of favorites!
I must start this review by saying that this is definitely not an easy read. It is heartbreaking. I will never understand how people can hurts animals simply to hurt them for fun. These are some sick people. Sadly, there are many everywhere. Abandonment of an animal is sad, but injuring is unforgivable in my eyes.
I have actually been to Puerto Rico, and when I saw so many feral dogs, I was shocked. It was very eye opening. I will also remember the feeling I had overcome me when I went to Trinidad and saw sickly and dying dogs in the ditches on the sides of "de roads". It is such commonplace.
After reading this book, I count my blessings that I DID NOT witness humans physically hurting or killing these dogs, as Steve witnessed in Puerto Rico. I cannot even imagine. This man had such a huge heart for "his dogs"! I honestly do not know who he did what he did day in and day out. He is someone I wish I had as a friend!
I highly recommend this book, but I do warn people, that they will need a light read to rotate in and out with this book. It will bring you to tears...
After days of finishing this book, I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. It is so full of passion, love, and dedication to these dogs... The heartache is huge ; the message needed! I have now decided to add this 5 star book to my list of favorites!
October 17, 2014
I won this book through Goodreads and found it absolutely amazing. I read it in one sitting; it was compelling and heartbreaking at the same time. Make sure you have tissues nearby.
It is a true story of how Steve McGarva, with help from his wife and a few others, tried to save stray dogs that were abandoned at Playa Lucia in Puerto Rico. Once Mr. McGarva discovered the dogs, he spent every day trying to help them, but ending up burying many of them and making enemies of the local men, families, and those who ran the nearby luxury hotels. Even with threats made on his life, he continued to take care of the dogs, feeding and caring for them as he could.
This book makes you realize what good and evil exists side-by-side in this world.
It is a true story of how Steve McGarva, with help from his wife and a few others, tried to save stray dogs that were abandoned at Playa Lucia in Puerto Rico. Once Mr. McGarva discovered the dogs, he spent every day trying to help them, but ending up burying many of them and making enemies of the local men, families, and those who ran the nearby luxury hotels. Even with threats made on his life, he continued to take care of the dogs, feeding and caring for them as he could.
This book makes you realize what good and evil exists side-by-side in this world.
December 21, 2014
This is a beautiful but heartbreaking story about one man's determination to save unwanted and abused animals. Well-written and emotionally charged, it felt like I experienced every bit of the anger, frustration, sadness, fear, and helplessness the author suffered on his quest for help for the sick and dying animals he found on the beach, as well as the love and responsibility he felt towards his pack. This book brought to light the terrible plight of unwanted animals in Puerto Rico, and no doubt in other parts of the world. I applaud Mr McGarva's bravery in Puert Rico, and his continued efforts in saving the world's forgotten animals. Though difficult to get through, this is a must-read for any animal lover or activist...but be sure to have the tissues handy!
January 28, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m a sucker for just about any animal story, with dogs being pretty much near or at the top of my list. But this book was over the top - both in its description of the cruelty that occurred on Dead Dog Beach in Puerto Rico and the intense personality of the author who might have benefitted from a couple of classes in conflict resolution. The book was very disturbing almost to the point of credulity. I actually searched the internet looking for any evidence that his story is exaggerated if not downright made up. But I couldn’t find a thing that implied any of it was untrue. So my hats off to the author for his disturbing memoir of his two years in Puerto Rico. If you are squeamish and can’t take reading of the depravity that some human beings are capable of, stay away from this one!
The 52 Book Club Reading Challenge - 2023
Prompt #9 - a book with a dedication
I’m a sucker for just about any animal story, with dogs being pretty much near or at the top of my list. But this book was over the top - both in its description of the cruelty that occurred on Dead Dog Beach in Puerto Rico and the intense personality of the author who might have benefitted from a couple of classes in conflict resolution. The book was very disturbing almost to the point of credulity. I actually searched the internet looking for any evidence that his story is exaggerated if not downright made up. But I couldn’t find a thing that implied any of it was untrue. So my hats off to the author for his disturbing memoir of his two years in Puerto Rico. If you are squeamish and can’t take reading of the depravity that some human beings are capable of, stay away from this one!
The 52 Book Club Reading Challenge - 2023
Prompt #9 - a book with a dedication
September 3, 2014
Incredibly painful to read. Abandonment of animals is one thing, but deliberate cruelty to helpless animals is despicable! I put this book down many times & read something positive & uplifting. Then, I would return to the horror described in this real-life story. I have no idea how Steve McGarva remained sane.
This book is not for the faint-of-heart.
I received this thru First Reads.
This book is not for the faint-of-heart.
I received this thru First Reads.
February 2, 2015
I have read many books, but never one that has made me feel so sad and powerless. I read this from the comfort of my home while bones of abused and mutilated dogs hide beneath the sands of a beach I once considered beautiful. It takes a lot of bravery to speak up, I hope the author's work open's people's eyes and begins a change for those poor animals that have no voice.
December 21, 2019
This was a hard read due to the subject matter and the way the author didn't hold back on any of the descriptions.
It really felt like he should take others' advice and just stop. Get away from the beach for his own good.
I enjoyed looking around on youtube and watching some interviews with the guy and clips that he had talked about.
It really felt like he should take others' advice and just stop. Get away from the beach for his own good.
I enjoyed looking around on youtube and watching some interviews with the guy and clips that he had talked about.
February 26, 2015
Steve McGarva ruins his own story when he continually details how he clashed with almost every other human character mentioned in the book. And just when you hope perhaps he will find a solution to the tragic problem of Dead Dog Beach, he does not. Disappointing
September 27, 2017
Very sad but very lovely
November 29, 2020
I was sad and heartbroken to learn of how cruel some humans can be toward other living creatures. Despite that aspect, I was inspired by the author’s storytelling and his dedication and interactions with the dogs at Dead Dog Beach.
NOTES:
Putting a dog down is the darkest day of pet ownership, a decision that doesn’t come easy and one that you can never feel proud of, or forget.
We could learn a lot from dogs and their loyalty to their humans. Their ability to forgive is amazing.
During my short time on the island, it had already become apparent that Puerto Rico was struggling between two worlds. Since it’s an unincorporated territory of the United States, the residents are American citizens, but they don’t have all the same rights that Americans living in the States do. They can’t vote for the president and aren’t even represented in Congress, but they can be drafted into the military. Approximately half the islanders want to be independent from the United States, and the other half want to be the fifty- first state. The former group tends to be pretty hostile to non- Puerto Ricans living on the island.
Living in this strange limbo has taken its toll on the Puerto Rican people. The crime rate was already high, but got worse when the military shut down its bases on the island.
The median income in Puerto Rico is about half what it is in Mississippi, the poorest of the fifty states.
I learned that sato was the local term for a street dog, which some Puerto Ricans tended to use with a dismissive sneer. It essentially translates to “street mutt,” and I never used it myself.
This island paradise, home to four million people and host to another three million tourists each year, had something on the order of a quarter of a million stray and abandoned dogs roaming the streets and jungle, looking for food and shelter.
I never would have imagined that animal rescue would become the most extreme sport in my life.
I didn’t want to turn into one of those people who loves animals but hates human beings.
My life had become a constant struggle against attitudes: government, hotel owners, and even friends who worried about my safety.
My passion and concern for the dogs had set me apart from the rest of my species, it seemed, and I felt as alone and abandoned as the dogs.
As soon as my hands were free, the men took a few more steps out of the shadows. I felt my dogs lean into the threat. I hadn’t realized until then that they’d moved ahead of me. My pack wasn’t going to let this happen. I could feel an almost electric charge surging through them as they took up positions to fight.
Any rivalry between the alpha dogs was set aside. They were teaming together, standing shoulder to shoulder, creating a boundary between me and the men. They never once glanced back at me looking for guidance. It was clear that they were taking control of the situation.
Was the right to abuse animals so important that they would have killed me?
Save a Sato was founded in the midnineties by two women who had basically done what I was doing now— fed strays on the streets of San Juan.
There’s an entire culture that needs to be changed. It’s the people who dump them, the vets, the politicians, the businesspeople who ignore them and worse. To most of the locals, they’re not even dogs, they’re rats.
I often struggled to believe that I was doing anything more than prolonging their inevitable death. I kept telling myself, if they died today, at least they had known that I loved them.
I never wanted to lose the ability to feel the dogs’ pain. I’d rather feel the pain than feel nothing at all.
“It’s okay. It’s okay,” I said to her over and over like a mantra. I did this whenever one of my dogs was hurt. I felt like I could transfer my calm energy to the dog this way.
A year into our Puerto Rico sojourn, taking care of the dogs was my full- time job; I did little to nothing else. The dogs depended on me, and I had come to depend on them too. There was something very healing for me about being with them.
Now I felt alive again, like I was doing something that could make a difference in the world, that my actions actually mattered.
I lay there with Achates for over an hour after he fell into his forever sleep. He lay there with such calm confidence and peace, I felt his energy flow through me and calm me enough to stay at his side. I never forgot that feeling, and relied on it now.
I was determined to help them change their small- town view of the world and their preconceived notions about other ethnicities and cultures.
What was most fun for me was the places where I was considered a regular: the vendors didn’t speak English, and I still had no Spanish under my belt, and yet we communicated beautifully and I was treated like family. I was heartened to see how open- minded Bethany and Ryan were. I only wished I’d been able to give my kids more of this type of experience when they were little.
“It’s amazing how much control you have over so many dogs, Steve,” Sylvia said after a few minutes of observing my routine. I had nearly eighty dogs in the pack at this point. I gave her the backstories on each animal in turn. Like many before her, Sylvia too was appalled by what I told her.
“You’ll notice I say very little to them. They read my body language and my energy without the clutter of a lot of words. See how calm they are now?”
Between their efforts and Mary’s we got a total of thirty-two dogs off the beach, seen by a vet, and relocated, either temporarily to privately run shelters on the island, or to stateside shelters. But it wasn’t easy going.
I didn’t want to shame or embarrass anyone into doing the right thing. That never really works anyway. I just hoped that I could show by my example how to treat animals humanely, thereby compelling viewers to do the same thing. The more I thought about it, the more optimistic I became. I wanted the local community to stand up and be proud of the beautiful area where they lived.
“You moved to the island as a visitor from another country. You and your wife have spent a lot of time and your own money trying to clean up a problem that, quite frankly, isn’t yours. With everything you’ve been through in the last year, what message would you like to send to the viewing audience?”
“I hope people will feel compelled to take action and do the same thing in their communities that I’m doing here. I want people to realize that they can make a difference. It’s always a good choice to help another living creature.”
“And it’s contagious! Before you know it, more and more people are doing the right thing to make the world a better place.”
As it was, Pam and I were now spending between two and three thousand dollars a month on the dogs, depending on how many dogs were there at any given time. Since we’d first arrived seventeen months earlier, we’d increasingly given the dogs medical care at the beach, since island vets were disinclined to do so.
I cried harder than I had in years, and I had cried a lot in the two years we’d been in Puerto Rico. “I’m sorry, you guys.” The dogs looked me in the eyes as though trying to understand what I was saying. Their heads tilted and their brows furrowed. They looked so sad. “I’m sorry for leaving you.”
I was doing a lot more good here at home than I could ever have done fighting for my dogs, and my life, had I stayed in Puerto Rico.
The Ellen Show called and asked me to be a guest. I was blown away. Not only did she help the world learn of the tragedies in Puerto Rico, she donated ten thousand dollars’ worth of dog food and supplies from her pet food company, Halo, to help the ongoing rescue and relocation efforts in Puerto Rico.
Achates Legacy Rescue Foundation (ALRF), based on the belief that, above all, education is the key to saving homeless dogs and cats in our communities and around the world. We promote the creation of educational programs for school systems in target areas, both foreign and domestic, designed to teach adults and children that pets deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
Additionally, we help support veterinary clinics that provide free spay/neuter services, particularly in Mexico and Puerto Rico. We facilitate rescue and rehabilitation services for abandoned or abused animals, and fund shelters and adoption programs. ALRF also does all it can to help eliminate puppy mills worldwide. This is a fitting tribute to my beloved Achates, and to the thousands of dogs that gave their lives.
NOTES:
Putting a dog down is the darkest day of pet ownership, a decision that doesn’t come easy and one that you can never feel proud of, or forget.
We could learn a lot from dogs and their loyalty to their humans. Their ability to forgive is amazing.
During my short time on the island, it had already become apparent that Puerto Rico was struggling between two worlds. Since it’s an unincorporated territory of the United States, the residents are American citizens, but they don’t have all the same rights that Americans living in the States do. They can’t vote for the president and aren’t even represented in Congress, but they can be drafted into the military. Approximately half the islanders want to be independent from the United States, and the other half want to be the fifty- first state. The former group tends to be pretty hostile to non- Puerto Ricans living on the island.
Living in this strange limbo has taken its toll on the Puerto Rican people. The crime rate was already high, but got worse when the military shut down its bases on the island.
The median income in Puerto Rico is about half what it is in Mississippi, the poorest of the fifty states.
I learned that sato was the local term for a street dog, which some Puerto Ricans tended to use with a dismissive sneer. It essentially translates to “street mutt,” and I never used it myself.
This island paradise, home to four million people and host to another three million tourists each year, had something on the order of a quarter of a million stray and abandoned dogs roaming the streets and jungle, looking for food and shelter.
I never would have imagined that animal rescue would become the most extreme sport in my life.
I didn’t want to turn into one of those people who loves animals but hates human beings.
My life had become a constant struggle against attitudes: government, hotel owners, and even friends who worried about my safety.
My passion and concern for the dogs had set me apart from the rest of my species, it seemed, and I felt as alone and abandoned as the dogs.
As soon as my hands were free, the men took a few more steps out of the shadows. I felt my dogs lean into the threat. I hadn’t realized until then that they’d moved ahead of me. My pack wasn’t going to let this happen. I could feel an almost electric charge surging through them as they took up positions to fight.
Any rivalry between the alpha dogs was set aside. They were teaming together, standing shoulder to shoulder, creating a boundary between me and the men. They never once glanced back at me looking for guidance. It was clear that they were taking control of the situation.
Was the right to abuse animals so important that they would have killed me?
Save a Sato was founded in the midnineties by two women who had basically done what I was doing now— fed strays on the streets of San Juan.
There’s an entire culture that needs to be changed. It’s the people who dump them, the vets, the politicians, the businesspeople who ignore them and worse. To most of the locals, they’re not even dogs, they’re rats.
I often struggled to believe that I was doing anything more than prolonging their inevitable death. I kept telling myself, if they died today, at least they had known that I loved them.
I never wanted to lose the ability to feel the dogs’ pain. I’d rather feel the pain than feel nothing at all.
“It’s okay. It’s okay,” I said to her over and over like a mantra. I did this whenever one of my dogs was hurt. I felt like I could transfer my calm energy to the dog this way.
A year into our Puerto Rico sojourn, taking care of the dogs was my full- time job; I did little to nothing else. The dogs depended on me, and I had come to depend on them too. There was something very healing for me about being with them.
Now I felt alive again, like I was doing something that could make a difference in the world, that my actions actually mattered.
I lay there with Achates for over an hour after he fell into his forever sleep. He lay there with such calm confidence and peace, I felt his energy flow through me and calm me enough to stay at his side. I never forgot that feeling, and relied on it now.
I was determined to help them change their small- town view of the world and their preconceived notions about other ethnicities and cultures.
What was most fun for me was the places where I was considered a regular: the vendors didn’t speak English, and I still had no Spanish under my belt, and yet we communicated beautifully and I was treated like family. I was heartened to see how open- minded Bethany and Ryan were. I only wished I’d been able to give my kids more of this type of experience when they were little.
“It’s amazing how much control you have over so many dogs, Steve,” Sylvia said after a few minutes of observing my routine. I had nearly eighty dogs in the pack at this point. I gave her the backstories on each animal in turn. Like many before her, Sylvia too was appalled by what I told her.
“You’ll notice I say very little to them. They read my body language and my energy without the clutter of a lot of words. See how calm they are now?”
Between their efforts and Mary’s we got a total of thirty-two dogs off the beach, seen by a vet, and relocated, either temporarily to privately run shelters on the island, or to stateside shelters. But it wasn’t easy going.
I didn’t want to shame or embarrass anyone into doing the right thing. That never really works anyway. I just hoped that I could show by my example how to treat animals humanely, thereby compelling viewers to do the same thing. The more I thought about it, the more optimistic I became. I wanted the local community to stand up and be proud of the beautiful area where they lived.
“You moved to the island as a visitor from another country. You and your wife have spent a lot of time and your own money trying to clean up a problem that, quite frankly, isn’t yours. With everything you’ve been through in the last year, what message would you like to send to the viewing audience?”
“I hope people will feel compelled to take action and do the same thing in their communities that I’m doing here. I want people to realize that they can make a difference. It’s always a good choice to help another living creature.”
“And it’s contagious! Before you know it, more and more people are doing the right thing to make the world a better place.”
As it was, Pam and I were now spending between two and three thousand dollars a month on the dogs, depending on how many dogs were there at any given time. Since we’d first arrived seventeen months earlier, we’d increasingly given the dogs medical care at the beach, since island vets were disinclined to do so.
I cried harder than I had in years, and I had cried a lot in the two years we’d been in Puerto Rico. “I’m sorry, you guys.” The dogs looked me in the eyes as though trying to understand what I was saying. Their heads tilted and their brows furrowed. They looked so sad. “I’m sorry for leaving you.”
I was doing a lot more good here at home than I could ever have done fighting for my dogs, and my life, had I stayed in Puerto Rico.
The Ellen Show called and asked me to be a guest. I was blown away. Not only did she help the world learn of the tragedies in Puerto Rico, she donated ten thousand dollars’ worth of dog food and supplies from her pet food company, Halo, to help the ongoing rescue and relocation efforts in Puerto Rico.
Achates Legacy Rescue Foundation (ALRF), based on the belief that, above all, education is the key to saving homeless dogs and cats in our communities and around the world. We promote the creation of educational programs for school systems in target areas, both foreign and domestic, designed to teach adults and children that pets deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
Additionally, we help support veterinary clinics that provide free spay/neuter services, particularly in Mexico and Puerto Rico. We facilitate rescue and rehabilitation services for abandoned or abused animals, and fund shelters and adoption programs. ALRF also does all it can to help eliminate puppy mills worldwide. This is a fitting tribute to my beloved Achates, and to the thousands of dogs that gave their lives.
October 19, 2020
This is a hard-hitting read, written by a really intense guy, Steve McGarva. He spares no details in recounting the horrors on the beach in Puerto Rico where he worked to rehabilitate stray dogs. Anyone with experience in developing countries will be familiar with the attitudes toward homeless animals and the often terrible treatment of stray dogs. Puerto Rico, however, seems to have turned animal abuse into an island past-time. It's truly appalling.
But I also found myself frustrated with McGarva, who moves to the island and almost immediately dives whole-heartedly into animal rescue. He makes enemies and has multiple scary confrontations with the locals. What he doesn't do is spend time trying to understand the culture, history, or the root causes. He works so hard in the trenches that he never lifts his head to figure out how to stop the problem at the source. He never even learns Spanish, which certainly would have helped him get along better with the locals. It's a bit "ugly American" behavior, although in McGarva's case I believe it's ugly Canadian. While he's appealingly honest about some of his shortcomings, he seems blind to how ill-fated it was to tackle a long-standing Puerto Rican problem in his first couple of years on the island.
In all, an absorbing read that obviously got me thinking. If you are an animal activist, you will be fired up. If you're an animal lover, this will make you cry. If you're oblivious to the problems of homeless animals in poor communities, read this!
But I also found myself frustrated with McGarva, who moves to the island and almost immediately dives whole-heartedly into animal rescue. He makes enemies and has multiple scary confrontations with the locals. What he doesn't do is spend time trying to understand the culture, history, or the root causes. He works so hard in the trenches that he never lifts his head to figure out how to stop the problem at the source. He never even learns Spanish, which certainly would have helped him get along better with the locals. It's a bit "ugly American" behavior, although in McGarva's case I believe it's ugly Canadian. While he's appealingly honest about some of his shortcomings, he seems blind to how ill-fated it was to tackle a long-standing Puerto Rican problem in his first couple of years on the island.
In all, an absorbing read that obviously got me thinking. If you are an animal activist, you will be fired up. If you're an animal lover, this will make you cry. If you're oblivious to the problems of homeless animals in poor communities, read this!
July 30, 2018
Steve McGarva and his wife ended up in Puerto Rico for 2 years because his wife Pam's job took them there. Always an animal lover, he stumbled upon an island Playa Lucia or as it was better known as, The Dead Dogs Beach. He began a daily journey to this island to feed (sometimes a 100 at a time) dogs. He & his wife spent at least $1000.00 of the own money per month feeding them and providing what ever medical care he could give them. The dogs were play things for the Puerto Rico natives. They would behead them, hang them, shoot them, poison them, set them on fire, you name it, they did it. They liked tying horses up and dragging them around as well as killing manatees by shooting them with arrows. He ended up burying over 1200 dogs in the 2 years he was there. These animals didn't deserve this.
People, if you don't want your pets bring to a shelter. They may die, but it will be in a humane way. If you like your pet, but only want that one, GET YOUR ANIMAL FIXED.
People, if you don't want your pets bring to a shelter. They may die, but it will be in a humane way. If you like your pet, but only want that one, GET YOUR ANIMAL FIXED.
August 15, 2017
Warning: there are very disturbing descriptions of animal abuse in this book; be prepared.
In any case, I was both moved & heartbroken by this book. It's such a contrast to Rapa Nui, where the street dogs coexist with people & are even allowed to enter restaurants. (I fed a lot of them from the table, and no one seemed to mind. They accompanied on my early morning runs while I was on their turf & just seemed to want some companionship. They would stop upon reaching the territory of another dog who would then join me. I felt safe, & they kept strange humans from bothering me.) I recommend reading it, though it's quite distressing. The writing got a bit redundant, though the message doesn't suffer for it.
In any case, I was both moved & heartbroken by this book. It's such a contrast to Rapa Nui, where the street dogs coexist with people & are even allowed to enter restaurants. (I fed a lot of them from the table, and no one seemed to mind. They accompanied on my early morning runs while I was on their turf & just seemed to want some companionship. They would stop upon reaching the territory of another dog who would then join me. I felt safe, & they kept strange humans from bothering me.) I recommend reading it, though it's quite distressing. The writing got a bit redundant, though the message doesn't suffer for it.
May 1, 2018
Steve McGarva and his wife Pam moved to Puerto Rico, where Steve finds a sick and abandoned dog. To the locals, this paradise was known as Dead Dog Beach, a dumping ground for the island’s unwanted canines. These defenseless animals were in constant danger of brutality and death. McGarva began protecting these helpless animals which would jeopardize his marriage, challenge his sanity, and make him a target of locals determined to stop him. A heart breaking and tragic story that continues today. A wonderful read with information on how to support these animals.
July 25, 2018
Depressing to read but good to know.
Sometimes while reading this book I wanted to close my eyes and put my hands over my hears and to stop reading more. Ignorance is bliss, right?
But now that I know... what do I do next?
I hope that this book helps other animals around the world that are seriously mistreated. I’m at a loss for words. Those poor dogs, horses and even manatees.
What’s become of this now since the hurricane?? Anyone know? Actually, I don’t know if I want to know. It’s probably worse but I can’t imagine it being worse. Too upsetting.
Sometimes while reading this book I wanted to close my eyes and put my hands over my hears and to stop reading more. Ignorance is bliss, right?
But now that I know... what do I do next?
I hope that this book helps other animals around the world that are seriously mistreated. I’m at a loss for words. Those poor dogs, horses and even manatees.
What’s become of this now since the hurricane?? Anyone know? Actually, I don’t know if I want to know. It’s probably worse but I can’t imagine it being worse. Too upsetting.
August 1, 2018
Sad but hopeful
Steve's story of how he worked for two years on an isolated beach in Puerto Rico nicknamed Dead Dog Beach rehabilitating hundreds of abandoned dogs reads like an adventure story. This is not a sappy, "we, look how cute", kind of book. McGarva nearly lost his life several times fighting the many forces of the society there who fostered a culture of animal cruelty. His work lead to much good work being done in the area of rescue and rehoming unwanted pets. I could not put this book down. If you care for animals, you too will love this book.
Steve's story of how he worked for two years on an isolated beach in Puerto Rico nicknamed Dead Dog Beach rehabilitating hundreds of abandoned dogs reads like an adventure story. This is not a sappy, "we, look how cute", kind of book. McGarva nearly lost his life several times fighting the many forces of the society there who fostered a culture of animal cruelty. His work lead to much good work being done in the area of rescue and rehoming unwanted pets. I could not put this book down. If you care for animals, you too will love this book.
Read
February 5, 2018This is one of the most disturbing books I’ve ever read. How do you decide how many stars to give a book in which the author saved more than 700 dogs yet buried 1200? I have so much respect for Stephen McGarva and what he did for those dogs. He is a hero. But, I found this book so disturbing, I almost had to stop reading. At one point, I broke down in tears. This is not a feel good Rescue story. If you are the slightest bit sensitive, this might not be the book for you.
February 9, 2020
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. I had my heartbroken by this book, which I had somewhat anticipated upon receiving it and reading the dust jacket. The author’s work in Puerto Rico with the staggering population of neglected dogs brought a new light to an issue that I had not known about before reading. I highly recommend this book for those interested in humane treatment of animals and animal rescue.
April 27, 2020
Hard to read
At times I had trouble believing the author. Did these abused dogs really bond with you that well? Was it really that violent? In the end I took it at face value. He needed to redeem himself, and the dogs needed his love and care above all else. Three stars because the violence is so wrenching it’s hard to keep reading. Four stars if you make it through. Five stars if his book changes your outlook and behavior.
At times I had trouble believing the author. Did these abused dogs really bond with you that well? Was it really that violent? In the end I took it at face value. He needed to redeem himself, and the dogs needed his love and care above all else. Three stars because the violence is so wrenching it’s hard to keep reading. Four stars if you make it through. Five stars if his book changes your outlook and behavior.
December 12, 2018
This was one of the most heartbreaking and gut wrenching books I've ever read. I had to take a few breaks but essentially I couldn't put it down. It was written so well that I got completely lost in the narrative. But I will admit that it's left me feeling hopeless and depressed about this world and humanity. I can't unsee what I saw in this book. Yet I also loved this book for so many reasons.
December 28, 2018
This book was really hard to read, heartbreaking, so it would be hard to say that I "liked" it, but it was a book that I think was important to read. There is always something to be learned from the experiences of others, and if you care about animal welfare, there are lots of good organizations at the back of the book to help you get involved.
June 20, 2019
Beautiful and heartbreaking
I wasn’t sure about this book when I started it. I didn’t like the guy at all, I thought him selfish and immature. As the book went on I gained a lot of respect for him even though I feel like he took too many risks. Not many would do what he did. Bravo
I wasn’t sure about this book when I started it. I didn’t like the guy at all, I thought him selfish and immature. As the book went on I gained a lot of respect for him even though I feel like he took too many risks. Not many would do what he did. Bravo
March 17, 2015
Sad and depressing and ultimately seems like a guy who just wants a pat on the back.
December 27, 2020
This was a somewhat compelling book, but I still struggled to connect with the author’s story in particular. Though the story itself was very moving, I feel that the way that the author told it lacked depth; he was like reading about something sad that happened to someone rather than being able to connect with it and feel empathy. I do foster animals on my own, and both of my pets are currently rescues, so I do already feel sympathy and empathy for these kind of stories.
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