Rescue Street: One Guy, Thirty Thousand Canines, and a Million Miles at the Closing Hope Freeway
$ 17.62
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“Peter Zheutlin has written a lovely, moving, important book about a subject that is both heartbreaking and joyful.” – Dean Koontz
How far would you go to save a life? This is the extraordinary story of one man who has driven more than 1 million miles to rescue thousands of dogs from hunger, abuse and neglect and give them a second chance at life and love.
For years, Greg Mahle struggled to keep the last of his family-run restaurants afloat in Ohio. When it finally closed, he was broke and unsure what to do next. Then a stranded van-load of puppies changed his life forever.
Join journalist Peter Zheutlin as he travels with Greg from Ohio to the Gulf Coast on his Rescue Road Trips to bring hard-luck dogs from the deep South to loving “forever families” up north looking to adopt a pet, with the help of many selfless volunteers along the way. From Houston’s impoverished Fifth Ward–where thousands of strays roam the streets–and high-kill animal shelters in Louisiana, to joyous scenes of adopters embracing their new pups in the Northeast, Rescue Road is full of heart: an inspiring story about the unique bond between dogs and humans, and how going the extra mile can make a life-changing difference for these loyal canines-and for us all.
A heartwarming, awe-inspiring story of how one man can impact so many lives, human and puppy alike. Fans of Marley and Me, Oogy: The Dog Only A Family Could Love, and You Had Me At Woof will be inspired and touched by this story.
What readers are saying about Rescue Road:
“I stand in awe of those who can do this kind of rescue work, for their persistence, compassion and willingness to get dirty in the service of animals.”
“a heartwarming & eye opening journey into the world of dog rescue.”
“I highly recommend this book if you are looking to restore your faith in humanity.”
“a heart-warming story that reaffirms there are many compassionate people who work tirelessly to save dogs.”
What reviewers are saying about Rescue Road:
“An unabashedly sentimental and affecting portrait of a modern-day animal-loving hero.” – Kirkus
“a canine caravan with heart and soul…” – Teresa Rhyne, author of the #1 NYT bestseller The Dog Lived (And So Will I)
“Heartwarming doesn’t suffice to describe it… restores faith in humanity.” – Alexandra Horowitz, author of Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know
“A tender, inspiring homage…” – Matthew Gilbert, author of Off the Leash: A Year at the Dog Park
“Inspiring and riveting new book…a must-read…” – The Bark
ASIN : B00XWMC5WY
Publisher : Sourcebooks (October 6, 2015)
Publication date : October 6, 2015
Language : English
File size : 2.0 MB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Not Enabled
Print length : 258 pages
Carlymom –
Heartbreaking and yet affirming story of dog rescuers
This is the third dog book Iâve reviewed in two months. Itâs a lot if youâre not obsessed with dogs like I am.But, having enjoyed Peter Zheutlinâs The Dog Went Over the Mountainâa latter-day Travels with CharleyâI couldnât resist reading Rescue Road, written four years earlier. At times excruciatingly difficult and at times emotionally reaffirming, this story of dedicated dog rescuers is significant not just for celebrating the heroes who save thousands of abandoned and abused animals that our âcivilizationâ would otherwise throw away but also for its portrayal of the thousands of hopeless, innocent dogs that are thrown away and the Sisyphean efforts of the rescuers who work tirelessly and selfishly to make a dent in the problem.Zheutlinâs main story line is the twice-a-month, thousand-mile journey that self-employed Ohioan Greg Mahle makes in his 18-wheeler to pick up dogs in southern parts of our country where dogs are seen as disposable and nuisancesâand yet where the idea of spaying and neutering is paradoxically seen as âcruelââand bringing them to their adopted homes in the north. Itâs a brutal trip every-other month for Greg, as operator of Rescue Road, that doesnât guarantee him each trip will be profitable. In fact, most trips barely break even, and some are money losers.The rescue of a few dozen dogs a month is the emotionally satisfying part of this story. Even with the cloud of uncertain weather, mechanical break-downs, dog mishaps and dog-behavior problems threatening each trip, Gregâs story is more heartwarming than ominous by his commitment to making a difference in dogsâ livesâand often a difference between life and death. The cheerful tone of his Facebook posts, which never allude to the physical difficulties of his trips, and the delightful and highly anticipated introductions of dogs and their new owners at the end of the journey keep most of this story a joy to read.However, the story wouldnât be complete if we didnât witness the heartbreaking stories of the dogs left behind, the thousands of dogs euthanized every year, and the appalling conditions of so-called âsheltersâ where teams of rescuers and adoption organizations find and pull dogs for a chance at a decent life. After several pages of these stories, I found myself wanting to get back on the road with Greg, his troubles notwithstanding.Zheutlin tugs at our heartstrings often, and at times I wondered if his story wouldnât be more effective with a lighter touch. Even though the work that Greg does is wonderful and more than commendable, I finished this book in despair for the overall treatment of dogs in America. But I would probably have written it the same way. Itâs right for writers like Zheutlin to honestly express the amount of sorrow and pain weâre inflicting on our âbest friendsâ in the name of personal liberty (ours) and human exceptionalism.
Brie –
A Wonderful Read
This is a truly wonderful book that shines a light not only on the plight of companion animals in some parts of our country, but on the tireless work of the people making a difference.I have contacts in the animal transport world, but knew nothing about Greg Mahle and his Rescue Road Trips until I learned about âRescue Road: One Man, Thirty Thousand Dogs and A Million Miles on the Last Hope Highway.â I enjoyed the book immensely. It tells the compelling story about the connection between Peter Zheutlin and Greg (which started with an article Peter wrote for Parade magazine) and how Peter was given the opportunity to learn more about Gregâs transport work by becoming part of the operation (with all the sights, sounds, smells and sleep deprivation that comes with it). The book also tells the not so wonderful story about the treatment of animals in some parts of our country (with no apparent regard for their well-being), the destruction of healthy and treatable animals in our nationâs shelters using our tax dollars and the thankless work of so very many people in the rescue community. These are people whose names you may never know, but whose lives are almost singularly focused on saving animals one at a time to get them to new homes in different parts of the country. The beauty of Peterâs book is that it takes us behind the scenes; we hear of cross-country adoptions all the time, but with no real clue about how that Happy Beginning was made possible. Now we can all learn just how difficult the process is and about the people committed to saving animals day after month after year with nothing to show for it but a sense of immense pride for having saved a life.If you find yourself having lost your faith in humanity, Peter, Greg and the people introduced in this book will help restore that faith. And if you’re looking for a companion animal, please look no further than your local animal shelter or rescue group.
Amazon Customer –
Good read
Elaine Sinclair –
this book is amazing. It is the story of a group of people who devote their lives to saving dogs in the southern states and transporting them to forever homes in the north. The work these people do is truly amazing and heartwarming They can’t save all of the dogs but they do their best to save as many as they can. The book explains the costs and work involved. It also stresses the need to neuter and reduce the number of puppies being born.. Owning a dog is a serious commitment This book shows why a rescue dog is the way to go
c. wiens –
I really liked this book. So much information and personal stories of themany dogs needing to be rescued.
T W –
A book that should be in every household