A memoir of the author’s relationship with a pair of beloved canine companions, their life-changing impact on him and his family, and their role in how he came to understand loss and grief.

Collects more than seventy-five Philadelphia Inquirer columns by John Grogan that cover such topics as families, animals, and life in modern America.

The author describes how Izzy, a dog with an uncanny sensitivity toward ill and troubled humans, led him to take on the difficult but rewarding job of hospice volunteer, while his acquisition of Lenore, a Labrador puppy, helped him overcome depression.

Describes how the author adopted a wild dog by installing a dog door so that the dog could live both inside and outside.

Traces the author’s discovery of a half-frozen kitten in the drop-box of her small-community Iowa library and the feline’s development into an affable library mascot whose intuitive nature prompted hundreds of abiding friendships.

Chronicles the author’s rescue of an abandoned barn owlet, from her efforts to resuscitate and raise the young owl through their nineteen years together, during which the author made key discoveries about owl behavior.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author offers sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous reflections on living with her beloved black Labrador retriever Beau, describing how her life unfolded in tandem with Beau’s and the lessons she has learned by watching him live his life.

The founder of the Catskills Animal Sanctuary tells the story of how she turned a rundown farm into a haven for abused livestock and shares anecdotes about some of the more than eleven hundred animals she has encountered.

The author reflects on the unexpected benefits of living with an unusual and exuberant menageries of thirty-nine animals as he describes how these diverse animals provide the spiritual anchor in his life.

A veterinary surgeon offers his perspective on a typical day in his life, presenting anecdotes about pets and their owners and the unique blend of cutting-edge technology, old-fashioned instinct, and caring that comprise veterinary medicine today.