The Dog with the Old Soul: True Stories of the Love, Hope, and Joy Animals Bring to Our Lives

Dogs, cats, birds, horses, moose, and even a whale star in Sander's compilation of 27 essays. Many of the stories are heart-tuggers: there is Mark Lukas who, after his teen-aged son died in an accident, began training the "Soccer Collies" in his son's memory; and Morton Rumberg's tale of having to put down an abused pit bull, Hammer, after nursing him back to health. Hammer had been "taught to fight other dogs and distrust people...disqualif[ying]him from ever being adopted." The shelter staff cared for him despite knowing he would have to be euthanized. Elsewhere, Little Orange, a feral cat that visited Trina Dotar's yard, became injured, and eventually had to be euthanized as well. Although many stories are memorable, the writing is sometimes uneven. In "A Nose for Love," Dena Kouremetis explains how her new husband George's pet allergies were partially overcome by his love for a Shima puppy. Other tales include those of Suzanne Tomlinson, who trained a wild horse, and Sheryl Bize Boutte, who welcomed her late mother's dog into her own family. There's something for every animal lover to relish in this entertaining volume. (July)