Rescue Road

July 1, 2015
One man's dedicated mission to rescue death-row dogs across the country. Freelance journalist Zheutlin began saving dogs after finally giving in, in his late 50s, to adopting a yellow Lab for his family, a pet with whom to "grow old together." This decision spurred interest in the global rescue dog movement, bringing him face to face with seasoned veteran puppy savior Greg Mahle, whose "Rescue Road Trips" organization transports dogs via trailer from barbaric kill shelters in the rural South (an area particularly indifferent to spaying and neutering animals) to points north. Early on, he even accepted stray "throwaways" right from roadways and dumpsters. In 2014, Mahle's efforts garnered national attention on the Today Show, which exploded his group's popularity. Energized to participate, Zheutlin began shadowing Mahle, gaining insight into his motivations and how he began the revelatory rescue work after the last of his family's five restaurants closed in 2005. The biography paints him as a traditional man, married to longtime companion Adella, a stepdad to her son, Connor, and still driving the same old white panel van used in his very first rescue transport missions. The author accompanied Mahle on three of his fee-based rescue missions inside the gargantuan, kennel-filled tractor trailer typically filled with upward of 80 dogs collected and diligently transported to "forever homes" with adoptive families in the Northeast. The exhaustive gathering process and continuous care of the dogs and the tender, unavoidable human-animal bonding experience that transpired ground the book with heart and immense compassion. Written with straightforward clarity, much of the book's spirit is generated from chronicling Mahle's honorable and humanitarian work with severely at-risk animals and the emotional investment of the movement's many contributors. Zheutlin's closing chapter offers useful advice to readers eager to adopt their own rescued pet. An unabashedly sentimental and affecting portrait of a modern-day animal-loving hero.

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September 1, 2015

In 2014, journalist Zheutlin profiled Greg Mahle's Rescue Road Trips, which bring dogs from Southern shelters and rescue organizations to Northern adopters, for Parade magazine. The response was overwhelmingly positive, including hundreds of Facebook posts from adopters of the animals. Along with Mahle, who has dedicated his life to helping dogs, readers meet the many others who also commit countless hours and funds to this lifesaving work. The author deftly gets to the heart of animal rescue: it's a hard, dirty, expensive endeavor; saving one dog's life can take a handful of people; and volunteers often struggle with both the public and municipal leaders in trying to accomplish this task. With a casually informative style, Zheutlin bluntly presents the gruesome conditions in which many of these dogs live (and die). He applies the same treatment to the positive stories of the dogs that head north and the people who help them get there. VERDICT This is a spot-on portrait of the rescue community. Readers who are involved in this work will recognize the characters and emotions as their own. Those who are curious about the realities of animal rescue have an excellent resource in Zheutlin's book.--Meagan Storey, Virginia Beach

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2015
Zheutlin finally gave in and got a dogAlbie, a rescue Laband in so doing, he and his wife uncovered a world of people, online and in real life, who dedicate their time and money to matching unwanted dogs with their Forever Families. To learn more about these potentially unloved and sometimes abused dogs and their tireless rescuers, Zheutlin spent a year on the roadsome 7,000 milesferrying dogs to new homes with Greg Mahle, who runs the Rescue Road Trips organization. Filled with interviews with vets, volunteers, and Mahle as the men ferry the dogs cross-country, this heartwarming book also details the many organizations that assist in dog rescues (with contact information appended), the difficulties and joys of matching dogs and new owners, and much more. Mostly, though, it's a road trip like no other as Mahle and Zheutlin pilot a 12-wheel rig filled with dogs. Pet lovers and potential dog owners will find much to enjoy in this educational, touching tale. A portion of all proceeds from sales of the book go to Greg Mahle's Rescue Road Trips.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)