A dog rescue in Downtown LA is the subject of a new book which rewrites an incomplete narrative

AirTalk

The wellbeing of animals, pets in particular, is inextricably tied to the wellbeing of humans. In the U.S. nearly 20 million pets live in poverty alongside their owners. There is a narrative that most stray pets and rescues come from owners who beat and neglected them. While this is certainly true in many cases, there is another story that a new book seeks to shed light on. That story is about underserved communities who may love their animals deeply, but cannot always afford to care for them. This brings up questions like who should get to own a pet? Should only the well-off among us get to own and rescue pets? Joining us today on AirTalk is journalist and writer Carol Mithers whose new book “Rethinking Rescue: Dog Lady and the Story of America’s Forgotten People and Pets” addresses these questions.