Lost Souls Found!: Inspirational Stories About Golden Retrievers Volumes 1 & IIpublished by Happy Tails Books, they are a must listen (or read) for anyone who loves dogs, but especially those who love Golden Retrievers.
Personally, I was immediately drawn to these books after reading a couple of excerpts. I myself had a beautiful Golden Retriever in college that I raised from a puppy. My dear and faithful friend lived almost fourteen years, which is quite old for that race.
Edited by Kyla Duffy and Lowrey Mumford, these books are actually a collection of short stories written by the many people, couples, and families who have adopted rescued Golden Retrievers or Golden Retriever crossbreeds. Many if not most of these dogs would not have had a home if these people had not given them one. These are not fictional tales (or cross), but all real stories from people who, in some cases, took on some real challenges.
The stories in these books range from happy and wonderful to a little heartbreaking and tragic. They are, after all, stories of rescued dogs. But there is still joy amidst the sadness, and underpinning even the most melancholic stories is the great feeling of seeing how kindness and compassion still easily exist in the world.
Many of the dogs in these stories come from abuse; many are abandoned after being “exhausted” in a puppy mill. Still many are turned away simply for health reasons. In some cases, a rescued Golden will turn out to be nearly perfect, but many won’t, as they often come with issues and problems.
The people who accept the challenge of some of these dogs are true heroes. They adopt knowing that they are getting a dog with physical or mental problems, or both, but they do it anyway. They exercise extreme love and patience. For example, many of these dogs have anxiety and phobias that can manifest in bizarre or destructive behavior. Others have health problems such as cancer or other diseases that affect the dog throughout his life. Some of these dogs are even missing limbs for various reasons. But loving new dog parents care for and love these animals and the results are amazing. Imagine an abused dog that needs therapy and then becomes a certified therapy dog for people in need!
Some of the most heartwarming stories are from those who adopt “seniors,” dogs that have anywhere from a couple of years to just months or even weeks left. The people who care for these dogs know very well that their job is to provide the greatest comfort and love to the animal for as long as possible and that their time with him or her will be short-lived. Some of these dogs can barely walk or eat. Experienced dog owners know when it’s time to say goodbye, let go, and send their four-legged friend over the “rainbow bridge.”
Many of the people who wrote these stories are what are affectionately known as “foster failures”: people who took in a dog as a temporary foster until they found a “forever home.” But, in the process of raising, these parents fell in love with the dog and couldn’t let go.
Even if you’re not a dog lover, you’ll enjoy these short, charming, inspiring, and sometimes bittersweet cross of the enduring power of love and kindness. Go to the Amazon or iTunes Audible site and search for Lost souls found! Inspirational Stories about Golden Retrievers Volumes 1 and II and listen today.
