Rethinking Rescue: Dog Lady and the Story of America's Forgotten People and Pets

by Carol Mithers

"Lori Weise’s heroic work keeps animals with the people who love them." —Danny Trejo, actor, New York Times best-selling author of My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood

In Los Angeles’s most underserved communities, Lori Weise is known as the Dog Lady, the woman who’s spent decades caring for people in poverty and the animals that love them. Long before anyone else, Weise grasped that animal and human suffering are inextricably connected and created a new rescue narrative, an enduring safety net empowering pet owners and providing resources to reduce the number of pets coming into shelters.

Rethinking Rescue: Dog Lady and the Story of America’s Forgotten People and Pets unites the causes of animal welfare and social justice, moving between Weise’s story and that of the U.S. rescue from the dog’s twentieth-century transition from property to family to the rise of the no kill campaign to stop shelter euthanasia and the contradictions that hampered those efforts. Through captivating storytelling and investigative reporting, Carol Mithers examines the consequences of bias within this overwhelmingly white movement, where an overemphasis on placing animals in affluent homes often disregards pet owners in poverty. Weise’s innovative and ultimately triumphant efforts revealed a better way. Rethinking Rescue boldly confronts two of the biggest challenges of our time—poverty and homelessness—in asking the very humane question, Who deserves the love of a pet?

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Memoir, Biography, Dogs, Biography Memoir

304 pages, Hardcover

First published August 20, 2024

Reviews

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The focus of this book is Lori Weise. While working at a furniture company, she noticed dogs that belonged to unhoused people and rather than just take the dogs away, she made it her mission to get them spayed/neutered and have food and a bed. She began working with a co-worker who felt equal compassion for the people and the animals. They funded everything on their own.

Eventually, Lori changed the way the rescue industry regarded unhoused and low-income people. Rather than cast stones, she created solutions for those that faced eviction, addiction and ruthless landlords.

This is a fascinating way to look at how we can move forward in animal rescue. It's amazing to me that she works full time and continues to show so much devotion to the people and animals she helps. Amazing. I heard about this one on NPR Book of the Day (https://www.npr.org/2024/08/30/119697...).

This is a link to her organization: https://downtowndogrescue.org/

[Janis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I teach fair housing and the paragraph about how breed restrictions are a new form of redlining to keep minorities out of majority white neighborhoods showed me a whole new expression of racism that I didn’t know existed on this country.

I will be teaching about this in class.

[Kor Dav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasn’t what I was expecting…so much more and better. A much needed perspective and narrative in the animal and human welfare activist community. A total shift from what is projected by YouTubers and tiktokers. A must read for anyone in support of the adopt don’t shop movement.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fantastic, accessible read on the intersections of poverty, racism, and animal sheltering/rescue and access to veterinary care. It is also a great primer on the history of the no-kill movement in animal sheltering and on the root causes of the issues that plague animal welfare and rescue work.

I appreciate how Lori Weise's story is used as a narrative vehicle to tell a wider story about the systemic, social issues that cause poverty and put people and their animals in heartbreaking, desperate, and traumatic situations as well as how it's used to demonstrate the solutions that could help alleviate a lot of human and animal suffering.

Someone else left a review saying this book is about a "white savior" which I think is an ironic thing to say about someone who has done the complete opposite of what so much of the white-led animal welfare / rescue world has done since its inception which is, without question, white saviorism. Rather than take people's pets away from them and place them in "better" (more affluent, white) homes, we learn about the extent that Lori has gone to keep pets with the people who love them, including redistributing her own income and wealth to do it — even if those homes are less resourced or less than perfect. We learn the names and stories of the PEOPLE, not just the animals, who she encountered and helped — a level of humanization and compassion for people that is rare in the field of animal welfare. We learn about the vital community partnerships forged and the people she has hired from the community to strengthen community, build relationships, and increase trust in order to achieve more just outcomes for all people and pets involved. I don't know her personally, but it appears that Lori's philosophy and actions, despite her race, are astonishingly decolonial because they seek to keep multispecies families together rather than to separate them.

This and many other rich lessons are detailed in this book — I hope it reaches all the animal welfare, rescue, veterinary professionals, and social services providers who need to read it so that we can actually tackle the societal moral failing that is human and animal homelessness.

[Cathy Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true story about a remarkable woman who helped poverty stricken people and their dogs. Also includes the history of the dog rescue industry.

[Paige Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Equal parts heart-wrenching and hope-giving, and fascinating all the way through.

I’ve spent most of my life a pet owner living in poverty, so I was familiar with some of the challenges and perspectives represented here. I’ve been judged at the vet for getting the bare minimum vaccines (I was like look, lady, *I* don’t even have health insurance right now!) And I’ve often noticed classism in pet ownership/rescue discourse, including from people who’d consider themselves leftists: for example, “You shouldn’t own a pet if you can’t afford to take care of one.” (To this I have always responded, “Why do you regard love as a luxury that should be afforded only to the upper class?”) All this to say - I’ve had Thoughts™️ and Questions™️ about American attitudes toward pet ownership for years. So I was excited to find that Mithers had Facts™️ and Answers™️!

If I had to say one thing I disliked about this book, it’s that it’s written with nary an artistic flourish. Mithers is a journalist - and clearly a very good one - and that style gets a bit old, dry, boring (to me) after a couple hundred pages. But the book is very clearly and accessibly written, which is probably more important than artistry given the subject matter. So, 5 stars—this was the perfect container for the message.

[Kyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rethinking Rescue comes with an incredibly important message: that animal rescue is a poverty issue and that the best way to help the animals we care about is to help humans who care for them.

This book details the life of Lori Weise, the founder of Downtown Dog Rescue. While the book addresses Lori’s early life and her personal struggles and also gives some details of the history of dog rescue in the United States, it focuses primarily on her work and success within her own nonprofit. Lori came into the animal rescue world with a thought that still remains somewhat controversial today: what if, instead of taking dogs away from “unfit” homes, we provide their families with the resources they need to keep and properly care for them? Lori’s work includes providing spay/neuter, medical care, and food for the dogs of people who are low-income, homeless, or even struggling with drug addiction. But Lori’s work doesn’t end there. In one case, she helps a woman and a dog escape domestic abuse; in others, she helps pay for the pet deposit at a rental, or helps dog owners find jobs, housing, or rehab. Lori’s work is groundbreaking because she is focused on not only helping keep dogs out of shelters, but also on providing help for the people who love them. This book addresses the classism and racism that is prominent in the rescue world, and how the discrimination hurts the animals just as much as the people themselves.

I am giving this book 4 starts instead of 5 because there are a few things I think it could do better. There are times when the book details startling or graphic cases in a way that resembles the “redemption porn” that the author also criticizes. There is a brief paragraph touching on the controversy of TNR in cats (what about the wildlife that is harmed by the cat colonies?) without following up on the research that shows that there is proof that it is actually beneficial for those things in the long run. And, the part that bothered me the most, was the implication that famous football player and dogfighter, Micheal Vick, should be forgiven because he “apologized and donated $1 million to the dogs’ rehab” without acknowledging that those sorts of actions are common manipulation tactics in known abusers and not actually a sign that they have remorse (accept for how they have personally been affected)

Still, the end message is still the most important one: we need to step back from the racist and classist policies in animal rescue, and help both the animals and people by addressing the root issue: poverty.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A somber look at the people who work with low income and homeless people and their pets and the whole situation. How it affects the world.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye opener on how to truly help animals as best as possible versus the traditional rescue mentality. I learned a lot.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is in 4 parts. Parts 1 & 2 were Lori Weise's story starting to help/rescue dogs and their people in underserved Los Angeles. Part 3 was called Heroes & Villains:Contradictions in the Rescue World which was good! Covering Redemption Porn (saviour complex & more), When a Rescuer is Hoarder, and data driven 'Cost of Surrender/Maybe we Haven't Been Asking the Right Questions' including talking about economic necessities, veterinary deserts, poverty, racism, Marc Ching, Eldad Hagar's Hope For Paws videos & organization.. I would definitely recommend this book

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was both a biography of a fascinating, courageous person- Lori Weise- and a look at the intersection of animal rights activism and homelessness activism.

It was exciting to see Weise’s philosophy evolving, and her efforts are an interesting response to those who would argue that charity is obligated to address human suffering before it addresses the struggles of animals- in some situations they are deeply intertwined.

I recently read Relinquished by Gretchen Sisson, about the largely invisible trauma experienced by mothers who give children up for adoption that they would have kept, could they afford it. Sisson emphasizes similar tendencies in the human adoption movement as in the animal adoption one- a belief that moving babies/pets from impoverished homes of color to affluent white homes is an unalloyed positive; the destruction of loving bonds between mother and child/owner and pet being glossed over for the new owners when poverty forces them to separate.

Mithers describes the blurred boundary between animal hoarding and an ad hoc rescue effort that’s gotten too full. I also learned about the difficulty of addressing this problem, given the difficulty of rehabilitating a person with a hoarding disorder, the complicated legal process behind prosecuting an animal hoarder, and the sympathy extended unthinkingly to everyone who describes themselves as a savior of animals.

The author also explains the growing consolidation of veterinary care into a few huge companies, leading to price gouging just like we see in the health and PBM industries.

This is a great quote about the popularity of tear-jerking animal rescue videos and the unasked questions behind them: “How does a dog end up on a trash pile? Did some humans believe that throwing an animal away was acceptable, or did tragedy befall them and their dog was lost? Why are dogs on trash piles only in poor parts of town? Why are the trash piles only in such neighborhoods? Why are images of poverty used to raise money for organizations that have millions in the bank? What can we do to prevent another Miley or Fiona ending up on the street? Answering those less glamorous but necessary questions is harder, more ambiguous, without a clear narrative, and with failure always possible.”

I think it takes a similar spirit, of utter devotion and a refusal to get beaten down, to serve stray animals as it takes to serve unhoused people. The problems causing homelessness of both animals and people are so pervasive, and a solution for them seemingly so impossible, that an ordinary person would see the futility of ever “succeeding” and give up. People like Lori manage to never forget that for the people and animals benefited by her efforts, it can be a life changing good.

4 / 5 stars. I learned a lot and was inspired by Weise’s philosophy of making local differences when and how you can.

–

A lot of journal type rambling below:

I should preface all this by saying I distinguish between homeless/unhoused and entirely unsheltered people here, not so much because they are truly different but because the visibility and greater need of unsheltered people means that's what people are referring to when they say “homeless”.

I lived in Santa Cruz, CA from 2010-2015. At the time there were already more homeless people there per capita than any other city in California, and thus one of the highest rates in the country- a situation which apparently continued into 2023.

Interestingly, though, I found article from a year later saying that the rate of homelessness in Santa Cruz had dropped 36% in 2024, with the mayor attributing the drop to having “...a navigation center…shelters…[and] permanent supportive housing”. He suggests that clearing large encampments has benefited both the homeless, who are connected with shelter and resources, and the housed, whose neighborhood becomes cleaner and safer.

I just read an article on how San Jose’s mayor is considering jailing unsheltered individuals who are living on the street and refuse to enter shelter three times in an eighteen month period. San Jose is about an hour north of Santa Cruz. I sympathize with the people who feel their families’ needs have been subordinated to the needs of people who often make terrible choices and refuse to help themselves. In a few years I'll have children and I'll be willing to make some illiberal decisions to give them a good life, including choosing to live in an city that doesn't have encampments, high property crime or rampant drug use. And I do feel there's some willful deception of the public, as well as self deception among those who work in the field, regarding the causes of unsheltered homelessness. Drug abuse plays a bigger role than they care to acknowledge, so rehabilitation and helping people build a meaningful life without substances really often is the core to their future success, not just providing more housing and more financial support.

But the subject of unsheltered people really brought out the worst in some Santa Cruzians. There are of course major safety, economic, and quality of life issues caused by the outsized number of unhoused people who live there. My own bike was stolen twice, almost certainly by someone desperately seeking another $20 for drugs. There were needles all over the otherwise breathtakingly beautiful beaches. And when you’re talking about massive intervention for a population where 100% of members are going to need government assistance to get back on their feet, you’re accepting an enormous financial expense.

But when I see loss and damage wrought by mental illness and drug addiction it always produces a feeling of “there but for the grace of God, go I” in me. I have a mental illness, and I’ve had issues with drugs and alcohol. I’m in a decent place now, and I escaped a lot of the potential costs- financial ruin, jail time, committing burglary and prostitution- because I am from a fairly prosperous, supportive family and have a wonderful partner who always has my back. I never stole a stranger’s property- because I was educated, could hold down a pretty good job, and stole from loved ones who I knew wouldn’t criminally prosecute me or cut me off for good. If I’m capable of doing something that low in the depths of addiction, am I really more worth resources or sympathy because of my college degree and intelligence, than a person who doesn’t have those things? I don’t know, but I don’t think so.

I was disgusted and saddened by how callous and dehumanizing the comments on the article about San Jose were. I'm less starry eyed and optimistic about human nature than I used to be. But I still think the homeless are such an easy group of people to shit on that I can't stand seeing privileged people using language for them that they would not use for a dog.

Which ties back into Downtown Dog Rescue’s ideas of melding the worlds of dog rescue and outreach to homeless humans. I’ve never been involved in dog rescue, but I am in the process of taking in a feral cat for the first time, so I’m subscribed to forums for TNR and other animal care volunteers. Those people are some of the most selfless, passionate, and quirky individuals that I’ve ever had the pleasure of being among. Their work is viewed as generally noble, as it should be. But in the comments on that NYT story, the work of homelessness activists is castigated as a “homeless industrial complex”, and the only solution viewed as acceptable is involuntary incarceration in a jail or commitment to a mental institution.

Why are we moving AWAY from jails for our dogs and TOWARD jails for our unhoused fellow humans?

I know the answer I’ll get, which is “homeless dogs don’t yell on street corners or smoke crack,” but it’s not like other species are innocent virtuous creatures. A dog will tear another dog’s throat out. And if they had thumbs to pick up the crack pipe, some of them would inevitably get addicted to crack, just like people. Human problems are more complicated and nuanced because people are more complicated and nuanced than other animals. It saddens me that this makes us turn away in despair or disgust.

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting book. It explores the relationships between pets, people in poverty, and animal rescues, as well as challenges the notion that having pets is a privilege. Animal welfare has remained in my heart since early childhood, but I've never considered it from this perspective. I'm glad there are organizations and people out there with a compassionate, non-judgmental, yet realistic view towards supporting pets and their owners. Unique, heartfelt, well-written memoir.

[Yenta Knows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in between chapters of Shirer’s “Rise and Fall,” as a break from that extremely grim narrative.

The book is well researched and well written. My only criticism of the book itself is the lack of visual aids: no photos, no maps, no tables or charts to aid in presenting statistics.

“Rethinking” is not exact a fun read. The homeless are often alcoholics or drug addicts or abused wives, or just poorly educated people who became homeless because they didn’t have the $400 needed to get past a life crisis. We distance ourselves from them because they aren’t pretty to look at, of course. But the real reason we distance ourselves (IMHO) is because we are afraid of becoming them. This is pitiless America, land of the almost non-existent safety net. Anyone can become homeless.

I could not do what Lori Wiese did. She has dedicated her life to dog rescue, to working with these difficult homeless people, to walking these mean streets. I couldn’t do this. At least, I am not willing to risk doing this.

Revelations:

1
—
A “No kill shelter” doesn’t mean no kill. Calling yourself “no kill” is the accolade every shelter wants to apply. To get there, shelters do the rough equivalent of grading themselves on a curve.

First, shelters filter the animals accepted. Some reject animals they see as “hard to adopt.” Others may accept these animals, but euthanize them quickly, leave them out of their statistics.

Second, even when counting ONLY the animals classed as adoptable, a shelter calls itself “no kill” if 90 percent of the adoptable group is adopted. And what happens to the unlucky, unadopted 10 percent. Well — they are killed.

2
—
Poor people love their pets just as much as middle class people do. Maybe more.

I have to admit to holding the condescending belief that if you couldn’t pay for the best vet care, you shouldn’t have a pet. But the book makes two powerful points
(1) Poor people don’t have spare cash for entertainment or travel. So they can devote more time to their pets and may appreciate the “entertainment” offered by their pets more than we comfortably middle class do.
(2) But because poor people DON’T have the cash reserves we do, a sudden expense can devastate them and they must (unwillingly) postpone vet care or give up their pets.

I add my own: if the choice is to euthanize a dog or give him SOME happy years with an underfunded family, isn’t the second choice better?

3
—
Small interventions can keep pets in their homes. Lori set up an intervention desk at an LA shelter near Watts. Small amounts of money allowed owners to keep their pets. They needed money to satisfy a landlord’s demand for a pet deposit. Or to repair a rickety fence so the dog would remain safe in a yard. Or for a life-saving surgery.

4
—
Encouragingly, the number of animals euthanized each year has been dropping. From an AI generated summary on 12/9/25: “Euthanasia rates have dropped dramatically, with some estimates showing a 77% decrease since 2016 and a shift from millions to under 2 million annually.”

[Amelia Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rethinking Rescue: Dog Lady and the Story of America's Forgotten People and Pets* by author [Author's Name] offers a compelling and deeply moving exploration of the intersection between animal welfare and social justice. Through the lens of the Dog Lady, a passionate advocate for both homeless people and stray animals, this book sheds light on the often-overlooked issues of marginalized communities and their animal companions.
The narrative weaves together the inspiring journey of the Dog Lady with broader societal issues, illustrating how compassion for animals and people can intersect in meaningful ways. The author skillfully highlights the complexities of rescue work, revealing the personal and systemic challenges faced by those who strive to make a difference.
What stands out in this book is its ability to humanize and amplify the voices of those who are frequently forgotten or dismissed. The Dog Lady’s story serves as a powerful testament to the impact of kindness and the need for a more inclusive approach to animal rescue. Through vivid storytelling and heartfelt anecdotes, the book encourages readers to rethink their perceptions of rescue work and recognize the interconnectedness of human and animal welfare.
The author’s deep empathy and insightful observations make this a thought-provoking read for anyone interested in social justice, animal advocacy, or both. *Rethinking Rescue* not only informs but also inspires action, urging readers to consider how they can contribute to a more compassionate and equitable world.
Overall, *Rethinking Rescue: Dog Lady and the Story of America's Forgotten People and Pets* is a poignant and eye-opening exploration of the often-hidden struggles faced by vulnerable populations and their animal friends. It is a must-read for those who care about creating positive change and fostering a deeper understanding of the issues at the heart of rescue work.

---

[TL Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely interesting and thought provoking. The writing was clear and engaging. I particularly liked the sections on current rescue - scams, sad stories, social media, and savior complexes. The featured Downtown Dogs and rescuer most certainly are experts in the field, and their work is impressive.
However, the bias is too overt that all other rescuers are doing it wrong and are, essentially, bad people. She has little good to say about anyone except the hero she has chosen. She even throws shade at the highly regarded Best Friends organization - despite them providing funding for some of DD innovative programs and kennels.
There are over privileged entitled rescuers and people doing it for the wrong reasons and in the wrong way, to be sure. The racism that infiltrates the rescue world is enraging. There is no doubt the effects of poverty (in many areas of society). No kill has done harm as well as good - facts. (though I would argue her keeping a number of dangerous dogs in unsecure cages full time at her home isn't on the right side of that either and the many deaths and maulings of other dogs seem to agree). The rescue system has tipped too far one direction - I would agree. That we need to link animal welfare to people welfare - I hope that is the next iteration of animal rescue. However to paint every single rescuer outside of this one so poorly misses a main point - a lot of people are trying to do the best they can to save some pets in a flawed system. Those people exist in between street rescue and heartless/horrible/white/overprivileged women she repeatedly brings up and I'm sure there are lots of them.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so disappointed in this book. I appreciate the emphasis on humans and their dogs, but many of the author's opinions of animal rescue organizations were close-minded and maybe even ignorant. I've worked in animal welfare and was really hoping for good things in this book.

While the author began by wanting to rescue the dogs she saw running around the streets. Then she became familiar with many of the homeless people in her immediate area and her focus switched to keeping the people and the dogs they love together.

I don't agree that a dog is better off with someone who loves them but can't care for them. Ms. Mithers paid to have a dog vaccinated and neutered, only to have them run into the street and get killed because the owner didn't have them leashed. I know that people need someone to love and someone to love them, but sometimes that love is not enough.

Ms. Mithers must have a lot of disposable income to care for all of the animals and people. She doesn't speak to that, but it's an expensive hobby. This is also a classic case of white savior syndrome, which is always icky.

My thanks to NetGalley and Catapult, Counterpoint Press, and Soft Skull Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Shari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting, very poignant, and required reading for everyone passionate about dog rescue. The dominant narrative around dog rescue often (almost always) overlooks the intersection of animal rescue, poverty, and racism. This book challenges that narrative. Most dogs don't wind up in rescue/shelter situations because of asshole owners. The true assholes are the ones who believe that folks in poverty don't deserve children or pets. Mithers writes, "Pets make [unhoused folks] feel less lonely...they [bring] structure, constancy, permanence, a reason to get up in the morning. Against the daily rejection of upstanding citizens, who skirted the homeless, mouths pursed in distaste, pets [say] you are wanted." This book demands that we see not only the needs of dogs but the needs of people, and this "radical work" is the "first step toward a paradigm shift in the whole concept of rescue."

[Koren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its hard to imagine that in America there are areas of poverty where homeless people and their animals are everywhere. I wish there were more people like Lori Weise, who has tried to help these people and their pets, often using her own money. I remember when I adopted my dog from a rescue and the agency asked my references if I could afford a dog. This book asks the question: Why can't people who are poor have pets and what can we do to support them so fewer animals are given up for adoption because life circumstances have made it difficult to keep a pet. This book is full of heartbreaking stories of people and animals that need help but it is also uplifting to see people getting the help they need and being able to keep their pets. We all need more Lori Weises in our world.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book isn’t about “rethinking rescue”. The first 1/2 recounts stories that took place 20 years ago. They were drawn out and a bit boring. Took forever to get to the actual critical point. The 2nd half of the book picks up with important facts and information about general rescue and stories. This book left out so much about rescue. I admire and praise and bow down to any and everyone who does rescue (I did it for 10 years) however it’s not only the homeless and underprivileged whose dogs and cats suffer. There’s not enough room here to go into detail but suffice it to say this book only touches about 10% of what needs to be told.

[Denise Chojnacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everybody should read a story like this. I had no idea that there were such rough conditions out there for animals in the bigger cities. I'm sure it goes on all over, but it seems to be really bad in the bigger areas. Lori had such a traumatic start to her life, yet she used that energy to be a champion for these dogs. Her passion is simply unbelievable in how much she was able to accomplish and wanting next to no recognition unless it helped the cause. She paid an emotional price for all that devotion and I can't even imagine how she did it. Maybe if everyone thought just a little bit more about these kinds of issues, we might all be able to create change; much like Lori did.

[BookBrowse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, the book is a fascinating portrait of a remarkable animal advocate and a compelling examination of the complex ways that animal welfare issues intersect with issues of poverty, inequality, and race. Contrasting the animal rescue movement's compassion toward animals with the callous, punitive attitude all too often exhibited toward impoverished pet owners, Mithers shows how animal welfare and social justice are inextricably linked. "Keeping people off the street and pets out of shelters is part of the same fight," as she puts it.
-Elisabeth Herschbach

Read the full review at: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...

[Marcy Graybill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a sad book.
Focusing on Lori Weise, it's the story of her journey to help the unhoused keep their pets and care for them the best they can. It starts with her working at a furniture company she saw many stray dogs and decided she had to help them. It progressed far beyond that to focusing on how to help the homeless keep their pets and give their dogs good lives. Just because you're down on your luck does not mean your dogs should be taken from you. Many of us are just a few paycheck away from the same situation.
My biggest issue with the book was the writing it seemed scattered and sometimes hard to follow.

[Ana W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an eye-opening must-read for anyone who cares about animals in the US. The story-telling and structure of this book make it an easy, conversational read. Rethinking Rescue focuses on Lori Weise , the founder of Downtown Dog Rescue. It uses Lori's story as a way of highlighting the problems and possibilities of caring for and rescuing pets (especially dogs) in need. I really hope that this will be widely read in by those who work and volunteer in animal welfare. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest opinion.

[Nor · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars — As someone who spends most Sunday mornings at the City animal shelter, this book made me want to think and speak differently about the work that is done there. I say that even as someone who experienced, several times as a child, how devastating and traumatic it can be to not be able to afford the care your pet needs. Lori’s (AKA Dog Lady) work to connect human poverty and failing social systems with animal welfare is truly admirable as is her dedication to compassion. Animal welfare is so much tied up in people, specifically what we believe poor people and people of color “deserve” to experience in life. Lori’s story really draws out the many different dimensions that shape those narratives — white saviorism, Christian morality, etc.

That said, I feel the book itself was weak in places, mostly down to how it was organized. The second half of the book was stronger when it moved into a more contextual approach to the content, but large swathes read like an extended magazine profile that lacked the sociological and historical lens I hoped would be there.

[Dawn Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Eye opening information on the importance of not just helping the pet but the person/s behind their beloved pet. Big thanks to Lori W. and her DDR crew for the amazingly HARD work they do in LA. They are big hearts and courage rolled into one.
The story of Lori and the pets you encounter will have you crying many times. It is heart breaking work that can have a heart warming end, but not every time.

[Erin Nielsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somber, informative, and well researched look at the intersection of animal and human rights. Showcases the groundbreaking work of Lori Weise in economic inequality and advocating for both humans and animals. The content was engaging, but the organization of the book could have been hugely improved.

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This provocative book casts rescue in a different light, and asks what should be an obvious question: why don't we help pet owners succeed with their domestic animals instead of rushing in and 'rescuing' the dogs or cats which then creates an entire industry for re-homing them. It's a pretty sober read.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mithers introduces readers to the perils of pet owning while homeless, or even just while poor, through the story of L.A. dog activist and rescuer Lori Weise. It's an eye-opening history of race and class inequities in the treatment of pet owners and their pets both by shelters and by law enforcement.

[Pat Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

extraordinary perspective on the history of how stray and abandoned and abused dogs and cats have been managed, from the days when euthanasia was the only approach, to the rescue and no kill of today, the attitudes that prevail, and throughout how this history intersects with human poverty and homelessness. informative for those concerned with the animals and also with humans.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Rethinking Rescue to be challenging, hard to read at times, and hard to put down. What if we asked people living in poverty what help they need to keep their pets? And then provide that help?

Highly recommended to anyone interested in social justice and animal welfare.