In No Shelter Here, Rob Laidlaw has pulled off a very neat feat: He’s paid young readers the compliment of painting for them a realistic picture of the sometimes harsh circumstances of dogs in numerous societies, pulling no punches in the process.
But his book also offers hopeful alternatives and inspiring examples of real-life kids engaged in—indeed, often initiating—constructive opposition to canine homelessness in many parts of the world, unscrupulous dog breeding practices, invasive laboratory research on dogs, as well as other forms of cruelty, neglect and injustice. At the same time, No Shelter Here celebrates the deep bond between humans and dogs, movingly depicts the true joys of canine companionship, and offers all kinds of clearly presented information on responsible pet acquisition and ownership.
I was pleased to read so many true accounts of children and adolescents making a real difference in the lives of dogs. And I am even more pleased to encounter a new book brimming with respect both for these remarkable kids and for dogs in general, all of whom deserve all the help and understanding humans of all ages can give them.
—Erika Ritter, author of The Dog by the Cradle, the Serpent Beneath: Some Paradoxes of Human-Animal Relationships.