Five stars for Saving Gracie
Author of this year’s must-read book, Saving Gracie, visits Knoxville this Saturday
By shining the bright light of truth on the harsh and cruel practices of an industry that has operated largely in the shadows of many communities for years, Saving Gracie provides hope to reformers across the country by showing the profound difference a dedicated group of people can make. It also follows the heartwarming story of the title’s eponymous survivor, a six-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, that was relegated to a miserable life as a breeder female inone of Pennsylvania’s most infamous puppy mills before finding a permanent home with a loving family dedicated to her rehabilitation.
Make no mistake…this book pulls no punches and sugarcoats nothing. It acts both as a call to action and a road map on how to galvanize and motivate your community and state toward meaningful change. It also provides a sobering lesson on the challenges unsocialized dogs face after liberation, a lesson that is especially informative for Knoxville given the outcome of a recent dog hoarding case.
In spite of the often serious subject matter, Saving Gracie ultimately becomes the dog story everyone wants to read…the one with the happy ending. Carol Bradley does what very few authors are able: she combines a hard-hitting investigative expose with a tender and inspirational love story that leaves the reader in a better place than where they began.
She then closes with an excellent primer on how to find the right dog, including adopting from a shelter or rescue, selecting a responsible breeder, do’s and don’ts of the internet, and what to do if you think a breeder is abusing or neglecting his or her dogs.
Be sure to check back to this site later this week for more about Carol Bradley.
Thank you Carol for raising awareness to the growing problems with Puppy Mills in America! I recently adopted a dog that was rescued with 50 other dogs from a puppy mill in November 2009. Her cage was full of feces, her water bowl had mold in it and she was being fed rotten food. She had a terrible skin condition that caused her to scratch all the fur off the bottom half of her body. She had absolutely no hair on her back legs and her tail area. She had 7 teeth removed because they were broken or rotten and had recently had a litter of pups. The animal control said it was amazing the animals were even able to survive in such terrible conditions.
She is a small Shitzu/Terrier mix and despite the terrible conditions she came from – - she has the best attitude! She is so happy to be free from a cage. She has learned how to play with toys, got to play in the grass and snow for the first time and LOVES sleeping with my boys. She is thrilled to be out of a cage and getting attention. You can’t ask for a better dog. She also gets along great with my golden retriever – - well, after she laid down the ground rules.
Anyone looking for a companion should look to a rescued animal! DO NOT buy them from pet shops or flea markets. Most of them come from puppy mills where the parents are treated like slaves. These animals need to be protected because they can’t speak for themselves. Please support legislation to give stiffer punishment to operators of puppy mills!! You can speak for those who can’t speak for themselves – - just look into their eyes and you will see their plea for help!!