Rescuing Penny Jane: One Shelter Volunteer, Countless Dogs, and the Quest to Find Them All Homes – A Personal Memoir on the No-Kill Movement and Animal Welfare

by Amy Sutherland

Drawing on her work at a shelter, her experiences living with two rescue dogs of her own, and years of research, bestselling author and Boston Globe columnist Amy Sutherland takes us on an unforgettable journey into the special world of rescue and shelter dogs—and the growing number of dedicated people who are deeply invested in saving these precious lives.

Terrified Penny Jane; brassy but filthy Dixie Lou; tough-guy Dingo; and the crazed, nippy jester, Walter Joe. These are not your average cute-and-cared-for, well-trained pups—these are shelter dogs. Scared, aggressive, so painfully shy that they can’t look you in the eye, they have languished so long without attention that they are slipping into a dark place, and soon will no longer be able to bond with people.

A member of the elite corps of volunteers at Boston’s Animal Rescue League, Amy Sutherland began walking shelter dogs in 2001 and has patiently helped train canines with serious behavior problems. Rescuing Penny Jane is the story of her adventures with these remarkable dogs, from working at a shelter, helping dozens of animals discover that the right person can give them love, hope, and a whole new life, to adopting two rescue dogs of her own and fostering half a dozen more. In addition to her touching, funny, and insightful anecdotes, Sutherland travels the country talking to leading shelter experts, animal behaviorists, and activists.

An affecting, entertaining portrait of the relationships between shelter dogs and those who care for them, Rescuing Penny Jane is a book that dog lovers and all who care about animals will treasure.

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction, Dogs, Memoir, Nature, Audiobook, Adult

288 pages, Hardcover

First published February 21, 2017

Reviews

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book and think it should be a must-read for pretty much everyone. I've read lots of books on this subject, but don't remember being as impressed by one before.

I could write a really long review about it, but I'll try not to. Let me start by saying that I think anyone who works at an animal shelter, whether as a paid employee or volunteer, and/or fosters animals at home, is a very special person in my book.

This book is amazing. The author has worked as a volunteer and has fostered and adopted from shelters. She tells lots of stories, both happy and sad, but in between you get a lot of facts. I learned a lot I didn't know before about the shelter system, but without it being shoved at me, as so many books do. This has such a great balance of things you want to know mixed with things that should be talked about a lot more, and told in a positive, personal way. Yes, some was very sad. I read most of the book with my own rescue dog in his usual spot while I'm reading, which is plastered to my side, and sometimes i just had to stop and hug him, while I wiped away some tears. Other things made me laugh, and hug him then, too.

She tells you about people who just couldn't accept the way shelters are run and actually did something to change that. And didn't just stop at their local shelter, but wanted to change it for the whole country. Before one man got involved, adoption rates were much lower and euthanasia rates were sky high. He turned that around. She talks to people from many shelters. Some famous ones, like Best Friends, or Muttville, the wonderful one for seniors pets only, but also lots of smaller places you've never heard of.

There are big decisions involved. Should you make the pet return policy easier in order to get more adoptions, or make it harder but have fewer adoptions? Shelters have their little tricks to get people interested. Like naming the pets after celebrities. They also have little tricks to make someone who they can tell is unsuitable lose interest in certain animals. They know which dogs want attention and which ones you should just ignore beyond giving them basic care, for their own comfort. Its a whole world of personalities, which you already know if you've ever really known or loved an animal, and some just can't ever adapt well enough to find a home.

And the author is honest. She admits she likes older dogs better than puppies. That she didn't always care for certain breeds until one animal of that breed changed her mind. That proves how individual each dog or cat, or whatever, is. She admitted that "I hate people" is a phrase that must be whispered behind the scenes at every shelter at some point. But she also explains how, altho its hard not to judge, sometimes its just ignorance and circumstance that makes a person do the wrong thing for an animal, rather than cruelty. Unfortunately, in extreme cases, someone might actually think an animal would be better off on the street than in their home any more. Pets who were fun dorm companions for college kids often get turned loose when college days are over. Its just so sad that sometimes they'll find animals tied to a post or left in an abandoned house, etc. The lucky ones get found. She goes into how an animal in a shelter too long gets to be harder to adopt out sometimes because of the behavior brought about by it being locked up too long. Its a vicious cycle.

This book was written all about dogs, which are what the author has experience with, but it is most likely just the same for any other animals. Cats for sure. The author even expressed surprise when she first realized that shelters also often have rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. that have been given up.

There is so much more in this book, and obviously, I can't say enough about it. I highly recommend it for anyone thinking about getting a pet. There are so many that are homeless for all kinds of reasons, and a little love for them goes a really, really long way.

(With reference to the 2nd paragraph of this review, sorry this got so long!!)

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve had the pleasure of reading some really excellent non-fiction about therapy dogs, rescue/service dogs, and shelter dogs this year. “Rescuing Penny Jane” was one of the best ones.
I’ve volunteered at an animal shelter in the past, and experienced the same joy that the author relates about seeing dogs and cats go to new, loving homes. On the flip side, I’ve also had to deal with the feelings of sorrow, and sometimes downright disgust, that comes with seeing abused animals cower in corners, sometimes so traumatized that there is little chance of them being adopted. (As my own husband put it, “Honey, if you’re wanting to restore your faith in humanity, don’t volunteer at the animal shelter.”)
This book explored the uplifting highs and discouraging lows of working with shelter animals. The author also relates the personal stories about the shelter dog, “Penny Jane”, that her family adopted, a dog so timid that she was terrified to enter open doorways.
A must read for any animal lover (but keep Kleenexes handy).

Memorable Quotes:
(Pg.81)-“A clean dog has a better shot at getting adopted, as does a dog who puts his bottom on the floor on command. When people looking for a pet visit kennels, first they exclaim, “Look how cute he is!” and then the chant starts:”Sit, sit, sit, sit sit.”
(Pg. 36)-“A dog’s muteness, a trait that can make him such an ideal constant companion, can work to his disadvantage. Strays come with little or no story. They are nameless and ageless; they might as well have amnesia. The shelter staff can ask about dogs dropped off by owners; if the dog snaps at toddlers, or quakes at thunder, or yaps the day away… a stray is a mystery.”

[Stephen Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much I am putting it in my shelf for 'dogs-favorite-books.' I have at least one or two other dog rescue books, and while recent can feel like the 'best', I think this is the best dog rescue book I have read. I just love the way she writes and how she answers all the questions all of us dog lovers may have with dog rescue and those who volunteer.

When I read a book, and as much as possible I read hardback copies, when I come across a quote or passage I like, I put in a post-it note to mark the place so I can pull it out later. (Yes, I know and envy ebooks where you can do this easier, but like to feel a book in my hands.) Looks like I had 26 post-it notes in the book which is a good indication for me it was a great book.

I would suggest you just go get the book and read it, and then come back and read the following quotes I will add to the review as a way of reminiscing on all the good stuff in it. But for those who may not have time for it but want to enjoy some good bits or who will probably forget them anyway before getting around to reading them, then proceed reading the excerpts. I will also post at least some of them as quotes against the book in Goodreads.

'I have always loved dogs-some might say, especially cat lovers, to a fault. Some people come around to dogs. I, the daughter of several generations of dog lovers, was born with this affection, just as I was with a love for patent leather shoes and swimming Pools. I love dogs in the sense that I am aware of dogs’ many fault, (the great swags of drool, the middle-of-the-night yips, the muddy Print, they leave on leather couches and white linen dresses), but they still make my heart leap. I love them in the sense that I consider this deep affection an elemental part of who I am: a writer, a cook, a Midwesterner, an eldest child, a tall woman, and a dog lover. When their guileless eyes look into mine, I feel they see the elemental me, no the human, but the being. As Gertrude Stein wrote, “I am because my dog knows me.” That makes for a simple equation: no dogs, no me—which sounds about right.'

'My redhead pup shaped my days into a soothing, steady pattern of outings and feedings, but she also reacquainted me, now firmly middle-aged, with an unpredictability that made life fresh in a way | it hadn’t been since I was a kid. A cat would send us both sprinting, Dixie Lou after the cat, me after her. If I tossed her Frisbee too far into the bay, I might find myself wading in up to my thighs to fetch the disk from the tide’s tight grasp. When I saw a ranger headed in our direction, I'd slink down a side trail, even hide behind a bush, to avoid a ticket for having her off leash where I shouldn't. I climbed fences, broke trail for her through thigh-high snow, and wedged myself under parked cars to retrieve tennis balls. I found the old me, the tomboy who once spent whole afternoons looking for crawdads in a stream or throwing mud balls to the neighborhood Irish setters, the me I'd lost to mortgages and deadlines and dinner parties.'

'Before I even leashed one dog, I told all my friends about having signed up. They responded as if I had told them I was going skydiving. “Wow, that’s brave,” they said in a way that lent “brave” the ring of “insane.” Then I got long explanations, accompanied with furrowed brows and sad eyes as to why they could never do that. They would want to adopt all the dogs. Their hearts would break. The shelter, all those miserable barking dogs, would make them suicidal. Me, me, me, they mewed. I wanted to ask, “But what about the dogs?” Instead, I nodded and started to fret. I had been worrying only about the early hour, if I could think straight enough to hook a leash on a wound-up golden retriever. Now I began to worry if I would leave the shelter each Friday sobbing, if it would get all me, me, me. Yet, for a mere two hours a week, for the dogs, I thought, I could at least give the shelter a shot.'

'Penny. It’s just plain enough, winsome enough, for this spooked, slender dog but more than that, it has an understated positive ring. I’m thinking “lucky penny,” a bit of nearly worthless tarnished copper still worth bending over for. She hardly feels like a good-luck charm just now, but names alone can sway you. Maybe I can convince myself that bringing home this stray farm dog was a stroke of incredible good luck. Maybe, I think, like a child steeling herself against the monsters of the night, believing will make it so.
Maybe.'

'Who are these people, the ones who give up dogs? Researcher have found that they are mostly nothing like me. They are younger, less educated. They are renters with lower incomes than mine. They are more likely to have misconceptions about housebreaking and to have gotten their dog for free. They tend to keep their dogs outside and not take them to the vet or to training classes. One study found they are less likely to have nicknames for their pets or to carry their dog’s picture in their wallet. The researchers asked about the nick names and the picture because each indicates how strong a bond you have with your dog.'

'They are always our “children,” the Peter Pans among us. They are also our kindred spirits. We are each as social as social comes. Neither of us, human or dog, wants to be alone for long, and too much solitariness will undo us. We each like, even require, physical contact, far more than most other mammals. Our faces are each highly expressive, with even similar smiles, though most people keep their tongues in their mouths. Like us, most dogs play throughout their lives, though they keep to tennis balls and sticks while we graduate from blocks to tag to golf. We each like eye contact, a lot of it. For most of the animal kingdom, looking another creature directly in the eye almost always spells trouble, as in “I’m about to bite a leg or two off you.” Not between humans and their pet dogs, though, at least not the socialized ones, for whom eye contact is necessary social glue. The beauty of dogs is that you can look into their eyes endlessly, something you can’t do with another human, not even your lover.'

'Most of the behavior problems she saw as a consultant were the result of people using old-school punishment: nose swats, collar jerks, and so on, techniques that often scare dogs. What creates a bond, she tells me, is trust, trust that nothing bad will happen to human or dog. Most dogs naturally trust humans. We simply need not to squander that trust.'

'A dog without a human bond is always somewhat at sea, always looking for an anchor. I’ve seen this at the shelter, where most of the dogs throw themselves at me as if asking, “Are you the one?” That explains the tidal wave of unqualified love that rolls out of the kennels. Even the shy pups have trouble keeping their affection in check.'

'It took me a few years of volunteering before Luke, Boaz, and countless other shelter dogs made me realize they are not so much homeless as humanless, and that that was worse.'

'A clean dog has a better shot at getting adopted, as does a dog who puts his bottom on the floor on command. When people looking for a pet visit the kennels, first they exclaim, “Look how cute he is!” and then the chant starts: “Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit.”'

'This great transformation was the result, mostly, of simply ignoring her. In her early, difficult months with us, | finally, in my sleepless, frazzled haze, thought to type the phrase “fearful dog into the Internet, and like an oracle, my computer screen provided me with answers. The oracle told me that I should pay Penny Jane as little attention as possible and stop looking at her, especially in the eye.'

'“How could I fall in love with a dog and not take him home? I can’t explain it, except to say that when you volunteer with shelter dogs, you become accustomed to saying good-bye, like a traveler making friends or having affairs along the road. It becomes a habit, a way of thinking. I found I could bond over and over knowing full well I would never see these dogs again, which was both curious and liberating. I often thought of myself as a kind of guardian angel to accompany them through the limbo of their shelter stay. “I’ll watch out for you,” I told Brody each time I returned him to his kennel.'

'When I tell people I volunteer at a shelter, the first question they ay, me is if it is a no-kill one. The term grates on me if only because there is no easy answer. I ought to just say yes, because technically it is. But the ARL doesn’t call itself that, for complicated reasons. I also know what the person is asking. What they want to knowing if the ARL euthanizes, or “kills,” any animals. They are thinking in black-and-white. The ARL, like so many shelters, exists in deep shades of gray, where no-kill does not mean exactly what it sounds like. The term rings with the clarity of a gong, but no-kill is no absolute.'

'The ARL is one of about 150 shelters that have taken play groups to heart. A year or so after Sadler trained the ARL staff they trained me. I learned how to watch the body language of multiple dogs at once, to note whose tail was stiff, whose was wagging I learned the rules of play group: no toys, no treats, no petting. We don’t want to give them anything to compete over. I learned that should a fight start and two dogs latch on to each other, not to pull them apart, because as you do, their clenched teeth will tear flesh, causing more harm.'

'I'd picture the dogs in their kennels, bored or frantic and I'd chuck my plans for a shopping trip. I’d dig my dreadful gray volunteer T-shirt out of my dresser, pull on a worn pair of jeans, grab my oily bait bag, and go. The more I volunteered with shelter dogs, the better | understood the bottomless depth of their needs and how little difference I could truly make. That realization can drive some volunteers away. It made me want to do more.'

'|f I had my way, this is what I would write on all the pitties’ kennels: "Classic American Dog.”'

'I asked Coleman what else shelters could do to find homes for more pitties. Her answer, in a way, was—nothing. Shelters need to treat them like dogs, any dogs, she told me.'

'The secret to the sauce was that there was none. As Coleman says, if the shelters treat them as they do any other dog, people think of them like any other dog, just like their grandparents and great-grandparents did.'

'As one shelter leader put it to me, it’s not a question of if a shelter dog will deteriorate. It’s a question of when. There’s some debate as to whether the dogs are deteriorating or, rather, displaying what is normal behavior under trying circumstances. That “normal” won't help dogs get adopted. That’s why the current thinking on remedying kennel stress is to find a dog a home pronto. In the meantime, shelters such as the ARL do what they can to relieve a dog’s duress with walks, play groups, snuggling, toy puzzles, all of which is referred to as “enrichment.” Other shelters have constructed larger, better buildings with training arenas and soundproof kennels. Rich Avanzino, of course, has the most radical answer to kennel stress: get rid of the shelters.'

'When people say to me, “I don’t know how you do it,” or tell me, “I’d adopt all the animals in the shelter,” I joke, “Then you would be an animal hoarder.” But what I think is, You don’t know the half of it. When I signed on to work with the red dogs, I unwittingly agreed to work with the dogs most at risk of being put down for their behavior. I agreed to step into a shadow, to give my heart to dogs I might never see again for the most final of reasons.'

'One of her bugaboos is the overemphasis on walking dogs in shelters, what she calls “mindless marches ' Mindless marches are dogs just plunging along, never looking back, while you cling to the leash, what volunteers across America, are doing as you read this. Dogs need more than exercise, Woodard says. They need to think. Training them actually uses more of their energy, she points out.'

'Like any matchmaker, | have my tricks. I once read a study that found that people were more inclined to adopt a dog if he lay down near them. That is why I take people looking at lapdogs to the Real Life Room and ask them to settle down onto the stained rug. I hand them treats or toys, whatever might make that dog nuzzle up to them. That same study essentially found that adopters also like dogs who will play with them. So I lead outside anyone looking at a pup who likes a good game of fetch. Fetch is like a love potion, especially if the dog drops the toy at someone's feet, especially if those feet belong to a young man.'

'In 1998 a study (albeit a small one, but one of the first of its king to be published) demonstrated that “the enemy” might not be the irresponsible jerks everyone assumed. They might just be people, regular people who make bad decisions, plan poorly, have bad luck, and get tripped up by life’s many demands and vagaries.'

'Not only were people’s reasons for giving up their pets complicated, but the people had spent weeks, months, and, in one case. close to a year procrastinating, racking their brains for other Solutions, or, as humans are inclined to do, hoping things would somehow just work out.'

'There are so many big-picture ways to help dogs, to find them more homes—new ways of thinking, fresh ideas to fill a crisp three-ring binder, long lists of training techniques—but I’m just a Shelter volunteer. All I can do is help these dogs one by one in the relatively short time I have, with a stroll, a game of fetch, some people-watching, or just a chance to be themselves.'

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amy Sutherland spent a good portion of her time caring for shelter dogs, and wrote about her experiences. While she gained a lot of fulfillment from volunteering, she also felt sorrow when things didn't work out for some of these homeless pets. Obviously, finding the right home for these animals is a monumental task, with no easy answers.

In our home, we have a veritable zoo of rescue animals -- one aging lab mix, five cats of varying ages, and three rabbits. (Yes, there are organizations devoted to rescuing rabbits.) So I can certainly relate to how passionately the author feels about this important problem!

While I've learned quite a bit about caring for my family's pets, including how to cure an abscess in a rabbit's cheek (which involves injections!), getting a behind the scenes look at what it's like for a shelter volunteer was eye-opening. It was definitely an emotional read for me. You can't save them all, but there are definitely steps that can be taken. Like our family, the author found a pet or two along the way that other people might have turned away from. She talks about two or three dogs that she's taken into her own home to try to help make them more family-ready.

In our case, there was a cage in the bottom corner of the cat adoption room, which bore a sign reading, "Go slow, I'm scared." But when I bent down and called, a handsome grey and white British short hair/tabby came on out to meet me. He was shaking but purred when I gave him a little love and attention. He later bit a young volunteer who had not worked with cats before. They had to quarantine him and asked if we still wanted him. He had been so good with our kids, though. We said that of course we wanted him. We knew saying no would be his death sentence. He came out of quarantine with no further issues. Once he got acclimated to the home (and four other cats who weren't so sure about the new family member!), we realized he has severe arthritis, including a poorly healed tail fracture, and difficulty breathing properly. But with our family, he has gained weight and thrived, and now is a content house cat who naps on the couch and loves to sit right up against one of us.

I know that our personal story is not necessarily part of a typical book review format, but it made sense to me to include it because it illustrates one of the author's points very well. Some of these animals have never known a home, or had any real experience with human beings, or had a bad experience if they had any at all. Some of them need preparation before they are ready to head home with a new family. Not every shelter pet is a sweet, cuddly kitten or puppy! Shelter workers and volunteers work hard and I'm thankful that Ms. Sutherland gave of herself and shared her story with the rest of us.

[Maureen DeLuca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dogs on the cover, book about dogs- saving dogs, loving dogs... 'nuf said!

[M.F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is reprinted from my blog, aheartforshelterdogs.com:

When writer Amy Sutherland and her husband, Scott, adopted Bumble Bee, an extremely fearful young dog, from a Maine shelter, they thought that their love would heal her. They also thought that they knew a lot about dogs; each had had dogs individually, and together they had raised their genial Australian shepherd. In addition, Amy was a devoted and experienced volunteer dog walker at the shelter where Bumble Bee had been brought after being impounded from under a farmhouse porch where she had lived her whole short life.

But Bumble Bee turned out to be a greater challenge than Amy and Scott were prepared for. She was not just a stray; she was feral – never having lived in a home or interacted with people. She slunk in the shadows of their house, was terrified of stairs, doorways and, most of all, of them. As sleepless nights and disrupted days began to take their toll, they asked themselves, “Why did we ruin our nice life?”

Trying to warm to the dog Amy changed her name to Penny and gave her the middle name of her beloved grandmother, Jane. Still, tensions mounted, each spouse blaming the other for perceived missteps that aggravated the dog’s fears. “We’d quit kissing each other goodnight to avoid getting our fangs tangled.” Things came to a head the morning Scott said, “It would be easier to return Penny Jane than to get a divorce.”

But Amy could not imagine becoming one of “them,” the people who returned dogs, whose breaking of the implicit commitment to lifetime care for their adopted pet made her fellow shelter workers roll their eyes and sigh. “If I become ‘them,’” she lamented, “I won’t be me.”

The crisis passed; returning Penny Jane was never mentioned again, and in time the couple became deeply attached to her. For her part the dog came to accept domestic life, though she would always be shy and never very affectionate. “For the first time,” Amy says, “I loved a dog who showed no great love for me back.” That’s the tone of this book: clear-eyed, warm-hearted, but never sentimental or cutesy.

Rescuing Penny Jane: One Shelter Volunteer, Countless Dogs, and the Quest to Find Them All Homes is touching, honest, funny, at times heartrending, and enormously informative about the plight of homeless dogs and the people nationwide who are working on their behalf.

Amy Sutherland devotes several chapters to her travels across the country to meet exemplary shelter and rescue workers and visit outstanding dog care facilities. There’s the woman in San Francisco who runs Muttville, a shelter just for senior dogs, so that they’re not at a disadvantage in competition with the spiffy newer-model pups as they would be in an ordinary shelter. There’s “Adopt and Shop” in (where else?) L.A., which showcases the adoptable dogs in a colorful boutique setting along with cute accessories and high-end doggy supplies. There’s Best Friends, the Utah desert sanctuary for creatures – dogs, cats, horses, others – who have lost out in the adoption lottery but who are guaranteed a peaceful, loving place to live out their days.

A team of trainers at an ASPCA facility in New Jersey focuses on the “scarediest” dogs – the ones whose aversive behavior toward people would doom their chances of adoption. Many “graduates” from this program have gone on to find permanent loving homes.

The Animal Farm Foundation in upstate New York is dedicated to reversing the stigma against pit bulls, widely considered wrong and unfair by most animal experts. Sutherland herself was at first suspicious of “pitties” but, like the great majority of shelter workers, came to love and esteem them.

These are just a few of the organizations and individuals she spotlights that are all working toward the same goal — ending canine homelessness — in a variety of ways: promoting spay/neuter; assisting needy pet owners in keeping their animals; tirelessly and creatively promoting adoptions; rehabilitating damaged dogs into good companions; transporting dogs from overpopulated areas (like my Tennessee city) to areas where strictly enforced spay and neuter laws create a shortage of adoptable animals.

These profiles are fascinating, but the book’s real heart is Sutherland’s stories of the shelter dogs she has walked, fostered, adopted herself or found homes for, loved, and, sometimes, lost.

Some of the stories are hilarious – like that of Walter Joe, her foster Jack Russell terrier who hung out on top of the clothes dryer and would not let her touch him; to avoid being bitten she had to keep the leash attached to him and tug it to get him to go for a walk, after which he would hop back up onto his warm perch. But then came the night when Amy and Scott lay down on the living room floor to watch TV and suddenly saw a small silhouette in the hallway, tentatively approaching. Walter Joe had gotten down from the dryer and come in search of…what? “A look of resolve comes over his pointed face. He suddenly races at Scott and snuggles up against my husband’s chest.” After that, he slept in the bed with them.

When their agreed-upon foster term was up, Amy and Scott returned Walter to the shelter with a great report card — “yet almost the moment the kennel door closed behind him, his eyes went black and glassy again. He growled at staffers when they looked into his kennel.” On hearing that the shelter was considering euthanizing Walter as unadoptable, Amy brought him home for good, to join Penny Jane as an exceptionally lucky dog.

This experience convinced her that some dogs, like Walter, are “homeable” but not “shelterable” – which presents shelter staff with a dilemma: they have to make their assessment of whether a dog is safe to adopt out based solely on his behavior in the stressful environment of the shelter. “The equivalent would be judging a person while he is in the hospital, stuck with IVs, anxious, bored, and with no family to comfort him. Would you see that person’s true character?”

This insight affected me greatly, since, like every shelter worker and volunteer, I have loved and grieved for some dogs who I felt sure would have done great in the right home, but who couldn’t take the noise, the smells, the proximity of so many other dogs in the shelter setting. Thus, they “lost it” and had to be euthanized.

But there is great hope in this book, in the vast network of people who care for dogs and are working for better conditions for all of them. And in the individuals like Amy Sutherland, who, day after day, show up with treats and the offer of an outing and individual human attention, to brighten — you could even say, save — the lives of shelter dogs.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic read. I love to read about dogs and it's hard to come by a current dog rescue book that highlights all the right things. When I picked this up I had no idea the author started out in Portland, Maine and ended up in Boston, so that was a great surprise. Growing up in Maine and never seeing a stray dog in my life, I was excited to learn more about New England shelters compared to the South and wanted to hear the good and the bad. Sutherland definitely hits everything you need to know about the current and past situations of shelters in the US.

After rescuing my own two dogs, there's nothing better than to read a book like this that makes you feel like anyone can change the life of a dog. Because you can! Volunteer an hour a week. Foster a dog. Bring toys to a rescue. Walk a dog. Anything is better than nothing.

I think my favorite part of this book was the chapter called "Jumpy Mouthies" (I think that's what it was called). I had my own jumpy mouthy of a rescue and it tried my patience, but he ended up being my "soul-dog", the dog I would not sell for a million dollars. He was the biggest pain at first, but with love and patience has become the best dog I've ever had. Many dogs in shelters are around two years old and lack structure and discipline (which is probably what caused them to end up in a shelter in the first place) so that can be a turn off for many potential adopters. Sutherland brings to life the fact that these dogs will THRIVE in the right environment and won't be naughty forever. I really want anyone who has ever considered purchasing from a breeder or pet store to read this. There are way too many perfectly adoptable dogs in the US.

[Sarah Ewald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I am a sucker for a book with dogs on the cover... That said, it was very interesting. Written by Amy Sutherland, who is a shelter volunteer with dogs. I also volunteer at a shelter, but with cats, who, in my opinion, adapt to shelter life better than dogs. I never really thought about the dogs (other than that barking), but the do have issues that manifest themselves the longer they are in the shelter and not adopted.
Amy tells stories of the dogs she has met at her shelter, and others, and discusses what can be done better for them. She tell the story of her own dogs, Walter Joe and Penny Jane. and how they came to be a family. And of Sido, Sadie, Bummer and Lazarus, you know, the older ones who are so often overlooked, and many more who were lucky to find just the right family for them, and some of the unlucky ones who didn't. There are many good shelters and there are those that aren't. This book is a must for anyone who loves dogs.

[Susan Beamon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a dog owner, which makes me sort of an outlier in my family. They all have multiple dogs, mostly rescues. I live with cats, myself, but I appreciate dogs. This book was written by a shelter volunteer who focused on dogs, rescuing two herself. The book is a memoir of her life as a volunteer. If she had concentrated just on the shelters she worked in and the dogs she worked with, it would have been a boring book. She gives us a brief history of the shelter movement and a larger history of the changing attitudes of shelters and the public at large toward stray and unwanted animals. Just in the years she spent with shelters, the way disruptive and potentially dangerous dogs were handled changed from immediate euthanasia to behavioral modification.
I enjoyed the book and the entrance to the shelter world it gave me. I won my copy of the book from Bookstr for this review.

[Lauren Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a very insightful look into rescuing. I don't agree with all of the takes shared (which of course is to be expected) but I did appreciate the way she shared her experiences and the amount of research and interviewing that went into this. It's definitely interesting to read in 2025, since it feels like things have gotten worse. I feel like if this book were to be written now, there'd be a whole section on doodles. lol. Anyways - adopt or shop responsibly!

[Christie B · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who works with shelters and rescues and fosters, and who always has several rescue dogs and cats, this book is pretty darn amazing. The truth, good, bad, and ugly, the love for especially doogs, comes through in every page. the hope and spirit of continuous improvement in this area is truly incredible.

[Donna Winters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary story of dogs, shelters, and new forever homes

The author, Amy Sutherland, is an experienced journalist and shelter volunteer. Her writing is engaging, fresh, and scrupulously researched. I have read several books recently about dogs—shelter rescues, PTSD dogs, military search dogs, retired greyhound rescues—and this one shows exceptional quality regarding the author’s writing skills. Rather than using pat phrases, Ms Sutherland finds new and unexpected ways of wording her descriptions.

The book opens with Amy Sutherland’s personal story of adopting an extremely fearful shelter dog. Aside from this particular tale, the book is really a mini-course on the state of shelter care today. The author interviews dozens of shelter managers and veterinarians from coast to coast and border to border. In the course of her research, she exposes long-held myths and misunderstandings about pit bulls and black dogs among others.

As a dog-walker for a Boston shelter, the author describes difficult and dangerous dogs she has attempted to befriend and the sometimes painful and sometimes rewarding results of her efforts. She explains some typical behavior problems that prevent shelter dogs from being adopted and follows through on efforts to correct them and find homes for the offending mutts.

This author is brutally honest about her views on those who surrender their dogs to shelters, and how her views changed after a stint at the intake desk of the Boston shelter where she volunteers. I have not found many authors as transparent as this one. Her findings at the intake desk are truly heart-wrenching.

The best part of this book is at the end when the author follows up on some of the most difficult cases at the shelter. She wanted to know how life turned out for some of the dogs about whom she had worried the most. I won’t spoil it for you except to say you won’t be disappointed.

[Salliewt · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of great information about both dogs and shelters in this book. The author also showcases her own growth as a person. I like that she discusses her initial bias about people who turn in their dogs, saying sometimes the stories aren't so simple. A lot of us are biased, but we don't live those people's lives so we can say we'd never do such a thing, but we should try to understand that some of the folks who turn in their pets may once have said the same thing.

Sad stories, but shelters wouldn't exist if we lived in a utopia. There are also a lot of positive stories as well. A good read for anyone who's a pet owner, is considering getting a shelter dog, works in a shelter, wants to learn more about this issue, or just wants to read an informative and compassionate book. While I liked the book, sometimes the author's style was a bit dry for my personal tastes. Would recommend the book anyway. Reading is subjective after all. Dry for me could deeply touch someone else.

[Phyllis Barlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a sucker for any book dealing with dogs, so I really enjoyed this one. It was interesting to read how shelters work, and it's wonderful to know there are so many dedicated people trying to take care of and find homes for these pets.

The only criticism I would have (and it's more of a question than a criticism) is she doesn't really go into detail about how she re-habbed Penny Jane. Since the title was Rescuing Penny Jane I thought there would be more information on how she got her adjusted to home life. The last real mention of her was the possibility that they would return her to the shelter, but they didn't because her name pops up through-out the book.

Other than that minor issue, I am glad I read it. If you have a heart for dogs, and like reading a (mostly) positive story of how different dogs are dealt with, you will love this book.

[Marcia Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives readers a rare look into the noisy world of animal shelters. The author, herself a long-time dog lover and dedicated shelter volunteer, shares the stories of the many dogs she fostered and cared for while working in shelters in different parts of the country. Based on her observations and work with vets, animal behaviorists, and other animal lovers, she reveals not only the various problems overcrowded shelters experience, but also how difficult it is to strike the right balance of care, concern, training, and budgets when trying to help abandoned, neglected, unwanted, ill, or difficult dogs find forever homes.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for anyone who loves dogs. It is funny, touching and educational about shelters in this country.

[Solita · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are moments that are very moving. I don't like to hear about dogs (or any animal) that is put down, because they can't be placed due to behavior or health issues. It made me cry.

She mentions the rescue where I got my dog. I think she gives it too much credit. Low scores on Yelp agree with my own experience and perception. (I don't Yelp, myself.) They are great on paper. On paper. There have been some good people associated with it. No doubt. But (at least, currently) they mislead. I learned more about my dog from animal control, four years later. Quite by accident. I didn't know they kept records of dogs they pick up or are turned in. My dog was abandoned twice (before I got her). The second time, she was left to wander the streets of a rough neighborhood. The woman at animal control said my dog was "a growler." She growled at everyone. The rescue never told me any of this. Just said she was found wandering the streets of the city. Claimed she walked well on a leash. That was a lie. She tolerates a leash, but she doesn't walk, she refuses to budge. Too afraid. They didn't mention that she is aggressive toward other dogs. The rescue also shaved a year off her age. She is about seven, now, not six. This dog is a lot of work, but I adore her, and take good care of her. Last year, I got a sling carrier so I could take her out of the house, get her out in the world. Wasn't sure it would work, but it did. She loves it. She trembles with both excitement and anxiety. But I know she loves it, otherwise she would run and hide, not come running to me, jumping up on me. I make her sit before I pick her up to put her in the sling. But she still is squiggly wiggly, and nipping at me with excitement. I stop and tell her, "Relax, relax. Calm down. Easy, easy." It's a stop and go thing. She calms down, but has a hard time keeping her excitement in check. Ha. I love that she loves it. I'm the only one who can pick her up. She growls at everyone else. She's a growler, because she's afraid. Last year, I found her a new vet. She explained that my dog has a personality disorder. The rescue and their vets were useless, when it came the truth and reality. This new vet I found for her told me my dog can improve, in time, lots of time, but to keep my expectations low. That was a major help. That behaviorist vet at the rescue never said that. She was like, "Just teach her, 'Look at me. Look at me,'" to distract her when she acted up. Yeah. Right. That ain't gonna happen. She has improved, but I don't know if she will ever not growl at people who come over (I have to pick her up and hold her, helps calm her some), and I think she will always hate other dogs. Poor little thing. I'm glad I have her, because someone else might very well put her down.

One thing about this book that bothered me, is that the only poor communities this woman talks negatively about is Native American and those populated with Spanish-speaking immigrants who don't take care of their pets because they don't know better, and don't have the means. Hey, man, there are poor, white folks too, uneducated people who don't know better, and who are too poor to take the best care of their pets. Poor is poor.

Oh, and this book is not about rescuing Penny Jane. She was a small part of it. I would like to have heard more about her. I want to hear more about dogs like my little one. That's what I thought this might be. Wasn't, but oh, well.

It's an imperfect world. Always has been. Always will be. You can't save all the dogs in the world. Aren't there enough in this country to worry about? Why you gotta import them too? Just saying.

[Bonnie Kutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a 12-year-long volunteer dog walker/trainer myself, I closely related to this author's sentiments about the volunteer experience; her preference for pitties; her magnetic draw to the dogs; how once your heart falls for a shelter dog, you can't stay away because you need to see that dog through to his/her adoption; how devastated you feel when a dog's health or behavior is so poor that he/she has to be euthanized. The wisdom and advice the many shelter directors she interviewed shared was insightful, and gave me a broader perspective of the country's shelter systems and how some of it could be applied to San Diego's shelters. Where I had difficulty with this book was in the many typos, run-on paragraphs, overuse of commas, and inaccuracies I came across. Several times, her directions were wrong, saying that West Coast dogs were shipped northwest instead northeast, or that she headed west from San Francisco to Fresno instead of east. The imperfect writing aside, it was a well researched book that I hope people read and become inspired to volunteer at their local shelter and make a difference in the lives of dogs. As a society, we owe it to them.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Rugby, Penny Jane and Walter Joe have found loving homes and that is what dogs need. It is what they deserve”

“ This is all he knows, his blue ball, his favourite volunteers and his trips to McDonald’s. It is his home”

5 beautiful stars to this beautiful story!!!
So many puppies and dogs need to be rescued even the older ones, even the ones we label (Pitt bulls and chihuahuas). Every dog deserves a home and to know love.

Amy Sutherland just kept fostering the un-adoptable until they were ready to go into homes, so many lives were rescued. But it breaks my heart how many dogs are euthanized in shelters and how many people bring their own dogs to shelters!
Dogs are so loving and so trusting, it’s just a shame what some of them go through and I thank everyone who has recused animals because they deserve a home, my Casey deserve one after being tied onto a doghouse outside for 8 years and Sweet Nellie who came from a hoarding situation with 16 other dogs plus more cats. Even if both their times were short with us they still deserved a loving home and that’s what they were given, love🐾💕

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had other books by Sutherland on my to-read list, but this is the first one I read--and I'm so glad I did. (Thanks to Bark Magazine for their enticing review.) Sutherland's own experience as a shelter volunteer and then foster for a succession of dogs (two of whom she kept) is the basis for the book's exploration of shelter culture in the United States. Sutherland explains a lot about how we ended up with the system we have. This is mostly a hopeful book, but the author doesn't gloss over the challenges, hardships and disappointments facing shelter workers and dogs (and some other animals), every. single. day. I would imagine that many people associated with the shelter or rescue world would see themselves and their efforts reflected positively in this book. The one thing I missed was a list of sources. In addition to telling a good story, the book is also a substantial research project, and I was especially curious to know more about the sources that contributed to her very thoughtful discussion.

[Cara Achterberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book not only touched my heart, but it challenged me to re-think my perspective on dog rescue. Sutherland made me want to do more and while she occasionally broke my heart, she also gave me great hope that we can solve this very solvable problem. As a person involved in dog rescue, from the foster and rescue side, it was eye-opening to get a shelter volunteer's perspective, but Sutherland's journalistic chops added authority and clear thinking to the situation. Her obvious research, combined with her personal experience, made for a powerful read. I was inspired to read about what innovative shelters across the country are doing to tackle the problem of too many dogs being overlooked in shelters. Sutherland's personal stories of the dogs she encountered were heartbreaking and beautiful. She is a smart, realistic, dog-hearted person who asks a lot of good questions and challenges the reader to be part of the solution, not the problem. Loved this book on so many levels. Bravo.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 to 4.5 stars

Author Amy Sutherland begins walking shelter dogs at her neighborhood shelter. This act morphs into a quest to discover the best way to help shelter dogs. IS spay/neutering the answer? More foster homes? More support to owners to help them keep their animals?

Throughout the book, Sutherland describes how she came to own a nearly feral dog and how that simple act changed her life forever. She fondly reminisces about the dogs she has walked, fostered and meet in her years of volunteering with animal rescue organizations.
She travels the country visiting shelters and talking to those who work deep in the trenches of animal rescue. She discovers that owners who give up their animals aren't always selfish. Many times, those owners have run out of options.

This book will touch the heart of anyone who has ever loved a rescue dog or worked with homeless dogs. This is a fascinating read and one I highly recommend to all.

[Gayle Slagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rescuing Penny Jane by Amy Sutherland is a delightful look into the the world of a shelter volunteer. If you are a dog lover, you will thoroughly enjoy the often poignant accounts of some of the many dogs encountered by Sutherland and if you are not a gung-ho dog lover, you will gain insight into the problem of finding good homes for shelter dogs and the extent to which shelter volunteers go to find the perfect match between dog and owner. The stories are sometimes heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking; the quest to find homes for them is sometimes successful, sometimes not, but each story will tug at your heart, both for the dog and for those who care for them. Rescuing Penny Jane is both inspiring and insightful and a joy to read.

[Jamie Dengerud · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful friend passed this book to me and I’m so glad I read it. I asked her constantly “how can you foster pets and not be heartbroken?” This beautiful ok sheds a light on what shelters are doing to help the community over the past 40 years and how individuals can support that work. She talks about how fostering helps so many animals heals. Mixes and matches of cats and dogs make up so many heartfelt pets I’ll never not support this community. The work that goes into rehabilitation of what terrible things people do to pets is priceless to make them fell that they can be loved. For the remainder of my existence I’ll only support this kind of effort to help our world be a better place. Thank you Amy Sutherland for shedding the light on what and how people are doing to make the homeless pet population be better. Thank you Lisa for passing on the book.

[Aaron Hertzmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about the author's experiences as a dog shelter volunteer, and comparing them to my own. I learned a bit of history of shelters, and the history behind various processes (e.g., why surrendering requires appointments, why not to be so judgmental about people who return dogs, and some a few reasons for open adoptions), and it was interesting to see how the processes I'm familiar with at the shelter where I volunteer compare to other shelters. And, several times, I got emotional reading about some familiar moments, like seeing a terrified dog open up after enough patience and care. Recommend it if, like me, you don't know much about the larger dog shelter world and want to learn more.

[Dayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very informative & provided insightful details not only about rescue dogs but different shelters nationwide that protect - and sometimes fails - them. It doesn't dwell so much on the dogs that live with the author, who recounts her experiences as a volunteer working with shelter dogs & fosters. She gives a thorough account of what to expect & how to adjust to these dogs. This is very much needed, as most of us have over-idealized visions of humans rescuing animals. It takes work & commitment, and this book helps prepare people for the situations that often make them give up.
I received a copy from a Goodreads giveway. Thanks!

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy Sutherland visits animal shelters all over the country as well as pioneers in the field to show her readers the struggles that dogs and shelter workers face. She highlights the discussion of the dogs' plights by sharing the stories of specific dogs, including the shelter dogs she and her husband adopted. Telling interesting, endearing, and humorous stories of these dogs, she explores the subject of "No kill" animal shelters, fostering shelter dogs, the plight of "patties" or pit bulls, and neutering pets in poor neighborhoods.Her writing is concise and entertaining. If you are a dog lover, you will love this take on shelter dogs.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it a bit presumptuous to call this an "unforgettable" journey into the world of shelter dogs, but it was very good, and does give me the motivation to name Amy Sutherland a true hero of the shelter dog. There is a good deal of statistics here; enough to engage the true dog lover in contemplating some of the likely and unlikely numbers that are bandied about when people talk "non-kill" and "kill" shelters - things may not always be what they seem. The later chapter about the efficacy of whether moving shelter dogs is an effective means of keeping down the number of euthanized dogs was also revealing.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

After volunteering at our local animal shelter for over ten years and fostering hundreds of animals and walking dogs countless hours, I was interested to read a book about someone who has done something similar. What I found was an interesting book with not just stories of her fostering and volunteer work, but research about what didn't work/what is working/what could be better and other ideas. Most interesting was the shelter that works with ways to keep pets IN homes when they are thinking they might need to surrender them.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book. I found an excerpt through surfing the net, read it, bought the book and finished it. Today!

The amount of information about shelters, volunteering, emotional ties and many other aspects of working with and for dogs in general but mostly about “homeless” or shelter dogs is just amazing. She talks about the history of sheltering and many other topics so that I know more now than I ever thought I would.

Additionally she keeps it interesting and entertaining. It isn’t just dog stories although there are plenty of those. I very much like her writing style.