Book Review: No Shelter Here - Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs

Title: No Shelter Here - Making the World a Kinder Place for Dogs
Author: Rob Laidlaw
Publisher: Pajama Press
ISBN: 9780986949555


Book Source: review copy from publisher

From the jacket:

Dogs have been man's best friend for thousands of years.  We cherish them as companions, groom them as show dogs, and depend on them as working partners.  But today, millions of dogs around the world don't have safe houses, good food, or the loving care of an owner. 

In No Shelter Here, animal advocate Rob Laidlaw describes the best way to find a new pet and provides terrific advice about how to adopt your future companion.  Dogs need special care to keep them happy and healthy, like playtime, fresh water, and veterinary care.  Long-term chaining and crating can make dogs sad and lonely, so it's important to show them lots of love. 

Rob shares the stories of animal lovers who are trying to help dogs everywhere, from India to China, the Unites States to Serbia.  Rob calls these people Dog Champions and he wants you to become a Dog Champion, too! It can be as simple as volunteering at your local animal shelter, or getting a group of friends together to raise money for an animal charty. 

No Shelter Here is a revealing look at the life of dogs and is full of inspirational stories about amazing kids who are helping dogs in need.

No Shelter Here is a book that manages to be heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.  Heartbreaking because it's the story of the millions of dogs that are neglected, abused, and abandoned all around the world.  Beautiful, because Laidlaw makes doing something about it seem so easy.  He lays out problems and solutions with honesty and clarity, and as proof that people can make a difference, he profiles a number of individuals who are doing just that.  Best of all, most of the "Dog Champions" he features are kids and teens, which will show readers that they can help, no matter what their age.

The book's design is also beautiful.  It's heavily illustrated and visually appealing, with lots of sidebars and bullet points to emphasize key information.  The photos are a mixture of "cute dog" and "sad dog," with images of kids helping dogs to emphasize the call to action.  The content is organized so that the book can be browsed as well as read cover-to-cover.

An eye-opening book for dog lovers of all ages, No Shelter Here will also appeal to schools and libraries.

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For more information on Rob Laidlaw and his books, visit his website.