Synopses & Reviews
BETTY WHITE on EVERY DOG HAS A GIFT:
"This book gives us some specific examples of the unique therapy that dogs provide when it is needed most. Enjoy a good read, after which Im sure you will appreciate your own dog even more.”
Inspiring stories of dogs who do good.
Anyone who has ever had a relationship with a dog will tell you: They want nothing more than to give love and be loved in return. In Every Dog Has a Gift, Rachel McPherson draws on her experience as the founder and executive director of The Good Dog Foundation, the largest animal-assisted therapy organization on the East Coast, to share the amazing stories of dogs that bring hope and healing into our lives.
Much has been said about the heroic roles dogs played following September 11th and Hurricane Katrina in providing support and comfort for the families and victims of these terrible tragedies, but the truth is that millions of dogs around the world are heroes every day. These therapy and service dogs (and often quite ordinary, "uncertified" dogs just like your own!) can:
*serve as the perfect audience for kids who need help with practicing and improving their reading skills;
*hold troubled families together;
*provide a calm and centering presence for autistic children, and
*help individuals who have lost the ability to walk to more easily navigate the world.
Every Dog Has a Gift is a celebration of the gift that each and every dog possesses: the ability to bring the healing power of unconditional love into our lives.
Review
“When I first heard of The Good Dog Foundation I thought, ‘Is there any other kind? This book gives us some specific examples of the unique therapy that dogs provide when it is needed most. Enjoy a good read, after which Im sure you will appreciate your own dog even more.”
—Betty White
“This is a lovely, charming, important book that contributes to a better understanding of the human-dog bond, a relationship that is, in my estimation, not only extraordinary but sacred.”
—Dean Koontz
“Every Dog Has a Gift is, simply, inspiring.”
—Carol Memmott, USA Today
“If you cant have a dog, you probably shouldnt read this book; its full of moving stories about dogs who have made such a difference in peoples lives that youll be tempted to run to the nearest rescue shelter.”
—Whole Life Times
“The book is filled with inspiring stories. It's truly amazing what a wagging tail can do.”
—St. Louis Times Dispatch
“This wonderful, heartwarming book tells true stories about “the hope and healing” that therapy dogs bring to people who suffer from various ailments.”
—American Dog magazine
“A wonderful book of miracles that any dog lover (including this reviewer) will enjoy.”
—San Francisco Book Review
Synopsis
McPherson draws on her experience as the founder and executive director of The Good Dog Foundation, the largest animal-assisted therapy organization on the East Coast, to share the amazing stories of dogs that bring hope and healing into people's lives.
Synopsis
BETTY WHITE on EVERY DOG HAS A GIFT: "This book gives us some specific examples of the unique therapy that dogs provide when it is needed most. Enjoy a good read, after which Im sure you will appreciate your own dog even more.”
As anyone who has ever gotten home after a long, hard day and been greeted by their dog and that soulful look of adoration will tell you: Dog love is one of the best kinds of love there is. In Every Dog Has a Gift, founder and executive director of The Good Dog Foundation Rachel McPherson explores the inspiring work that dogs are doing to help humans cope with a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional problems. Millions of dogs around the world are heroes every day. These therapy and service dogs (and often quite ordinary, "uncertified" dogs just like your own):
About the Author
Rachel, a native Mississippian, is active in numerous professional and cultural associations, serving as a leader in fundraising, development, event planning, and production efforts.
Originally having set out to produce a documentary on therapy dog services, Rachel fell in love with the work, stopped making the film, and created The Good Dog Foundation. Under her leadership, The Good Dog Foundation helped change New York State law to allow therapy dogs into health care facilities. Good Dog now makes more than 77,000 visits to people in health care, social service, and community organizations and schools in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut each year. Good Dog has won awards from the ASPCA and the Red Cross for therapy dog services given to families of victims, rescue workers, and others after the World Trade Center disaster on September 11, 2001. After 9/11, Good Dog created a disaster response course for its volunteers, and it was deployed by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health to assist families in need in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Good Dog has been honored several times on the floor of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Rachel was named New Yorker of the Week by New York 1 News in May 2006 for creating and running The Good Dog Foundation.
Rachel lives with her husband, two children, three dogs, including Fidel, a Good Dog, and a rabbit in New York City.