Dogland: A Journey to the Heart of America's Dog Problem

by Jacki Skole

Overview

One woman's journey into the heart of a dog crisis

Soon after Jacki Skole brought home an eight-week-old puppy from a New Jersey rescue organization, she wondered how such a young animal could have so many idiosyncrasies-so she set out to find an answer. Dogland, an extraordinary mix of memoir and investigative journalism, follows Skole's journey to trace the origins of her newest family member.

Along the way, Skole interviewed dozens who work in the world of animal rescue-from shelter managers to animal rights activists-taking readers from dilapidated county-run shelters in the South to strip malls in the Northeast where rescue groups seek homes for homeless pets, and from rural and urban "vet deserts" to the very heart of the South's complex relationship with companion dogs. Amid the serious issues facing shelter dogs in America, Skole found tireless animal advocates and humble visionaries who believe their ideas and their passion can save canine lives throughout the South-and the entire United States.

"Dogland explores the serious issues facing American shelter dogs and the heroes advocating for them. It's a page-turner...well worth reading."
-- Bark & Swagger

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781618220387
Publisher:	Ashland Creek Press
Publication date:	08/01/2015
Pages:	270
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.61(d)

About the Author

Jacki Skole is a journalist and adjunct professor of communication. She launched her journalism career at CNN, where she was part of a team that produced several award-winning documentaries. Jacki has also produced series and specials for Animal Planet and HGTV. Following the birth of her first child, Jacki took a hiatus from doing journalism and began teaching it at La Salle University. She's since taught several writing and media-related courses at Rider University and Raritan Valley Community College. Jacki and her husband live in New Jersey with their three daughters-two human, one canine. Perhaps not surprisingly, it is the canine daughter who served as the inspiration for Dogland.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface

Ready or Not

Here She Comes

South Paws in the North

Property with a Heartbeat

Death-Row Dogs

Never-Ending Flood of Need

If You Build It, Will They Come?

Pet Deserts

Dogs for Dollars

Teach the Children

Meeting Miss Daisy

Afterword

Appendix I: Rescue 101

Appendix II: Pay It Forward

Editorial Reviews

06/29/2015
When journalist Skole adopted a “quirky” mixed-breed puppy from a rescue shelter in New Jersey, she hadn’t counted on the journey she’d find herself taking in search of the pup’s origins. Skole sets out to locate an address in rural South Carolina, hoping to find the person who surrendered Galen to the kill shelter from which she was rescued and taken north. On the way, Skole meets a variety of people associated with shelters and learns that while the northern states may have a dearth of puppies available for adoptions, shelters in the South are overflowing with them: dogs that have been surrendered, rescued from the streets, or “set out” (i.e., dumped) in boxes in wealthy neighborhoods. The ratio of people to dogs in shelters within poorer communities is exponentially higher than in wealthier areas. Skole determines that a culture of dog ownership that views canines more as property than living animals may be the root cause of the alarmingly high euthanasia rate in Southern shelters. Those who have given their hearts and homes to shelter dogs will find much here to validate their love, but ultimately the book is meant as a call to action. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Dogland explores the serious issues facing American shelter dogs and the heroes advocating for them. It's a page-turner...well worth reading."

-- Bark & Swagger

"When journalist Skole adopted a 'quirky' mixed-breed puppy from a rescue shelter in New Jersey, she hadn't counted on the journey she'd find herself taking in search of the pup's origins...Those who have given their hearts and homes to shelter dogs will find much here to validate their love, but ultimately the book is meant as a call to action."

-- Publishers Weekly

"Dogland tackles a complex, emotional topic ... and opens readers' eyes to how we can help these faithful companions."

-- Animal Sheltering Magazine

"Skole offers a fresh look at dog owner education, spay/neuter programs, and how some shelters achieve more successful adoptions through required training courses...Dogland is a book that needs to be read and discussed by concerned people involved in rescue."

-- Flagstaff-Sedona Dog Magazine

From the Publisher