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STEVEN KOTLER was forty years old and facing an existential crisis—which made him not too different from just about every other middle-aged guy in Los Angeles. Then he met Joy— a woman devoted to the cause of canine rescue. "Love me, love my dogs," was her rule, and not having any better ideas, Steven took it to heart. Together with their pack of eight dogs—then fifteen dogs, then twenty-five dogs, then, well, they lost count—Steven and Joy bought a tiny farm in a tiny town in rural New Mexico and started the Rancho de Chihuahua dog sanctuary, a dog sanctuary for dogs with special needs.
WHILE DOG RESCUE is one of the largest underground movements in America, it is also one of the least understood. This insider look at the cult and culture of dog rescue begins with Kotler's personal experience working with an ever-peculiar pack of dogs and becomes a much deeper investigation into exactly what it means to devote one’s life to the furry and the four-legged.
ALONG THE WAY, Kotler combs through every aspect of canine-human relations, from human’s long history with dogs through brand new research into the neuroscience of canine companionship, in the end discovering why living in a world made of dog may be the best way to uncover the truth about what it really means to be human.
JOIN STEVEN in support of A Small Furry Prayer. Click here for dates and locations of his 2010 Book Tour.
"Joyous… Brimming with humor, gratitude, and grace, this is a remarkable story." - Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Kotler offers a touching account of Chihuahua adventures alongside interesting blurbs on the history of pet ownership, canine ethology, the semantics of the dog-adoption process, homosexuality in nature and the intricate science behind canine domestication. A heartfelt example of humanitarianism at work." - Kirkus Reviews
"Thousands of books have been written about dogs, thus it's amazing and also very encouraging to find a book like this one, filled with original thought and plenty of new information. And if that's not enough, it's a great read, a real page turner. I strongly recommend it to anyone who has a dog, or has more than one dog, or who just likes to read a great book."
Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs
"I read this compelling book for hours and found myself completely hooked as I am sure any reader who loves dogs will be. Steven Kotler captures something essential about dogs and humans in a way I have not seen anyone else do. With a hip growling intensity, Small Furry Prayer is bound to inspire."
Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author of Dogs Never Lie about Love , and When Elephants Weep