Tales of Redemption: Forsaken Dogs, Singular Humans

This is a book of profiles of special individuals, mostly in Austin and the Texas Hill Country, who rescue, foster, and adopt dogs that are lost, abandoned, and mistreated.
Central Texas—anchored by the youthful high-tech city of Austin—is a microcosm of the dog world of America. With its warm climate and plethora of parks, trails, greenbelts, swimming holes, creeks, and lakes, it is one of the most dog-friendly regions in America. Dog lovers abound, among them those who take in dogs who most need homes. In the process, these people often end up being saved themselves—whether in small or more dramatic ways.
The topic of rescue dogs is a timely one, as President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden brought their two German shepherds, Major and Champ, into the White House. Champ, a non-rescue, has since passed on. Major, though, is a rescue dog, adopted from the Delaware Rescue Association. He is only the second rescue dog in recent White House history, after LBJ’s dog Yuki, an abandoned pup whom his daughter Luci adopted.
There is nothing quite like the attachment between dogs and their humans. Our dogs become an integral, essential part of the tapestry of our lives. In the best sense, they are our caretakers as much as we are theirs. That is especially true in cases of depression, anxiety, and trauma, a state often shared by humans and canines alike. It is no surprise that shelters and rescue organizations began running out of dogs during the COVID pandemic, when we were all forced to shelter in place. We look to dogs—as they depend upon us—to allay loneliness and grief, offer protection, give unconditional love, and provide laughter and fun. We serve each other as trusty fitness partners, family members, and life companions.
For people with disabilities, service dogs—many of them rescues—work to help their owners navigate their lives, which is an important job. Service Dogs, Inc., in Dripping Springs, Texas, provides trained rescue dogs as service animals for Texans in need. And for veterans, dogs can give them a purpose, a reason to keep on living. Tales of Redemption also includes a few stories of people who foster rescue dogs, compassionate souls who devote their time to caring for dogs in their homes until permanent loving homes can be found.
Even those of us who are not isolated, who have human partners, families, and friends—complex relationships, all—can rely on the love of a dog for radical acceptance. And what better way to start the day than with a furry pal who is, by definition, grounded in the moment? Dogs wake up ready to take on the world with the attitude “I’m happy to be alive!” In that way, they are very much our spiritual teachers.
With our dogs, we can relax, drop our social guard, and just be ourselves.