No Life Too Small: Love and loss at the world's first animal hospice

by Alexis Fleming

No Life Too Small is the joyful and inspiring story of the world’s first animal hospice, celebrating the power and beauty of nature, the strength of the human and animal spirit, and the importance of love, friendship and community. It will leave you with a tear in your eye, a smile on your face and a renewed belief in human kindness.

A few years ago Alexis Fleming was bedridden with a chronic illness. Things became so bad that she wanted to end her life many times during this period – but her beloved dog, Maggie, kept her going, especially when doctors gave her just six weeks to live.

Incredibly, Alexis fought her way back to health with Maggie by her side, only for Maggie to die of lung cancer two years later on a vet’s operating table. Alexis was devastated that Maggie had died without her and decided to start an animal hospice in her name in the hope that she could ensure other animals nearing the end of their life would not have to die alone.

Six months later, the Maggie Fleming Animal Hospice was launched. Alexis has turned a dilapidated farm in rural Scotland into a haven for animals to live out their last days in comfort and at peace. With the help of the local community, despite many challenges, the hospice came to life.

Meanwhile , Alexis’ own health was deteriorating again and she needed life-threatening surgery. Alexis came through the operation and the road to her recovery was paved with companionship from the animals in her care, particularly Bran, a dog who had been dumped with terminal cancer and given six weeks. He recovered alongside Alexis and went on to live for two more years. Dogs, however old and mangy, chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, cockerels and even turkeys : The Maggie Fleming Hospice is a place where all manner of terminally-ill, abandoned animals come to live out their last days in comfort and are treated with love.

Looking after dying animals has taught Alexis what really matters in life – kindness, compassion and love.

Genres: Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published July 8, 2021

About the author

Alexis Fleming, 38, grew up in Kilmarnock and studied geography at Strathclyde University. She has worked as an animal rights campaigner and in 2013 she started a charity called Pounds for Poundies to help rescue unclaimed dogs from being put down which raised £10K in its first week. She’s a committed vegan and, as well as the hospice, she also runs the Karass Sanctuary where she cares for neglected and terminally ill farm animals, many of which have been saved from the slaughterhouse. Alexis’s story has been covered by ITV, the BBC and has featured in The Sun and the Guardian. A short documentary called Crannog about the hospice premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and has been shown around the world. It was recently shortlisted for ‘outstanding non-fiction short film’ and is up for an award in New York this month (February 2020). Last year Alexis was featured in BBC Three’s ‘Amazing Humans’ series and a clip of her went viral.

Reviews

[Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

No life too small by Alexis Fleming
If there was a 6th star, nay a 10th star out of 5 stars this book would get it! This is because of the sure brilliance of Alexis and her writing style. This book is truly stunning. It is wrote so light hearted with such beauty and humour that you are instantationously connected and involved in the story. Alexis Fleming's story will truly capture your heart. The daily struggles of her life helping animals is brilliantly awe-inspiring. Her dedication to making the ends of her animals lives the best they can be is portrayed throughout this book. Even though her own life is put at risk due to her potentially deadly Crohns disease. Her stories of the animals she has helped would captivate any audience; young or old. As she strives to create the worlds first animal hospice.
If you could only read one book in the year this one will be it!
I make this book Ladyreading365's 'Book of the year'
Alexis Fleming you are utterly amazing and I hope with everything crossed you right further books. I already cant wait for the next book.
Thank you so much for writing this book and for everything you have done for those animals.
Your are a shinning beacon of light in an ever dulling planet. WOW!!!!!!!

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried a lot because it's a moving book especially if you are an animal lover.
Alexis illness, Maggie story are heartbreaking but, especially for Maggie they are also heartwarming because they talk about the support that a pet can give you.
I loved this story and hope that it will be read by a lot of people because it's full of heart and hope.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Euan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexis's story is one of battling through illness and determination to ensure all the animals at her sanctuary have their remaining life be a life worth living and to make their death be as peaceful and dignified as possible.

The stories of residents past and present are both sad and uplifting and will stay with me.

The world needs more people like Alexis

[Domic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tja... ehrlich gesagt - war nicht so meins. Ich weiß nicht, ob es daran liegt, dass ich selber keine Haustiere habe, aber ich habe irgendwann keine Lust mehr gehabt, noch ein Drama zu lesen -sei es ein todkrankes Tier, sei es Alexis' eigene Krankengeschichte. Damit will ich nicht sagen, dass ich ihr nicht glaube, dass das alles ziemlich übel war und ihr die Schicksale ihrer Schützlinge auch sehr nahegegangen sind. Sie beschreibt das auch sehr eindrücklich - aber es ist einfach zu weit weg von dem, wie ich mit Tieren umgehen würde. Ihr geht jedes einzelene Hundeschicksal total unter die Haut, en detail wird jeweils berichtet, welche Kosenamen der Hund hat, welche Eigenheiten... Außerdem berichtet sie ausführlich über ihr Leiden an einer sehr schmerzhaften Autoimmunerkrankung - ich glaub ihr ja, dass das übel ist. Und ich finde auch nicht, dass es übermässig wehleidig beschrieben ist - aber ich möchte es einfach nicht lesen. Es gibt von mir also nur knapp 3 von 5 Sternen - aber wenn Du ein großer Tierfreund und vor allem Hundefan bist, dann ist das vielleicht genau Dein Buch.

[Bianca Oortwijn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ik ben zeker een dierenliefhebber, en vind het knap van Fleming hoe ze alles voor elkaar bokst ondanks haar gezondheid. Het maakt haar schrijfstijl er echter niet minder melodramatisch en herhalend op. Het boek bestaat vooral uit een opeenvolgende bespreking van alle zieke, zielige dieren die op haar pad kwamen, hun korte tijd samen tot het moment van de laatste adem. Daar doorheen vertelt ze over de vele verhuizingen met alle dieren en haar leven met de Ziekte van Crohn. 1,5⭐️

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I follow Alexis on Facebook and pre-ordered this on Kindle.
How she manages so much work with her poor health is unbelievable!
Pure passion for her hospice animals somehow keeps her going. With dogs, cats, sheep, pigs, chickens, as well as her own pets...her days must feel endless!
An inspirational book for those interested in helping animals, of all kinds, have a good end to their lives.....we live on Crete and have been fostering dogs for several years, as well as adopting our own rescues. We have fostered healthy and sick puppies, most survived, the heartbreak of those that don't is well known to us. We've had a paralysed pup, and adult dogs, and we currently have an old boy who lived on the streets of Hersonnisos for 10 years, he came to us as palliative...having a home and tlc, he has a new lease of life and is going absolutely nowhere! 😀 We also acquired 5 cats when we bought our home....we basically have a mini shelter going on and I can imagine the stress and complete reward that Alexis gets from what she does, but hers must be multiplied a hundred times from what we do... it is her raison d'être.
Alexis shares her highs and lows with the animals she rescues, as well as her own significant health problems.
Buying her book is a small contribution to what she does and may even inspire you to do whatever you can to help animals in need too.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. It has sad moments but it is also very heartwarming and I think the work that Alexis and her volunteers do is incredible, they are all amazing. I first got to hear about the Maggie Fleming Animal Hospice when a dog from my local rescue centre was sent there after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. I followed her story on Facebook and it was later discovered that she didn’t have cancer after all and is now the happiest dog living her best life. My book is signed with a personalised message from Alexis and also a paw print from Badger the 21 year old Jack Russell who also lives at the hospice. I will cherish it forever.

[Asheley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is OUTSTANDING! Alexis is literally one of the most amazing people in this world and reading this book was an absolute pleasure. I borrowed it from a friend but will 100% be buying my own copy for my ‘keep shelf’ to read again and again especially when I need a reminder on how to be a better person.

If you are an animal lover you will cry A LOT! But you will also be humbled as you read how Alexis has kept going through the toughest of times and losses.

If you aren’t an animal lover, buy the book anyway to help out the charity. It’s a brilliant read!

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Alexis has a chronic illness and her rescue dog Maggie motivates her to keep going. After Maggie dies Alexis decides to set up an all-animal hospice in Scotland, as you do! This story is heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time. Imagine the work involved in looking after so many rescued and dying animals. Perhaps best not read if you're grieving or make sure you have plenty of tissues handy. An excellent read.

[Hayley Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an ardent animal lover, I loved this book. Alexis’s compassion and drive to give these animals the best lives possible, before they leave this earth is immense, as she also struggles with her own health at times. She is an inspiring person and wishing her all the best with her animal hospice, both now and in the future. I hope that she writes a follow-up book one day.

[Ainslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a satisfying book. I absolutely loved it.

This book lived up to ALL my expectations and I had loads. Alex's voice is strong and clear as she shares her love for her dying animals. An absolute joy to read.

[Gill Cockburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book evoked equal measures of laughter and tears. Alexis Fleming’s love for animals, ALL animals, is evident on every page and touches your very heart.

[Mara Moreth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and I loved her story. Alexis is an incredible person and so is the hospice. Went from crying to smiling and back to crying again. If you love animals I truly recommend!

[Michelle Cox]

A moving story. Not just about animals, but about the author herself.
Though it would be good to read about more animals that she takes into the hospice.

[e taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read on Facebook that Bran the dog had died, I cried and woke my husband up to tell him and he was cross because I've never met the dog, or the woman, but I loved him aha. For some reason I thought u could read this and be strong but I was unsurprisingly wrong. What a lovely, and sad, story.

[Fiona C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

No small lives here

There are not words enough to describe the power of this incredible story and the amazing woman whose story it is. This is one book that will live with me forever. None of the personalities whose story this is, be they human or furred or feathered will ever be forgotten. Alexis Fleming you are one helluva wummin!