"If my mother taught me anything it's that making any kind of difference in this world always requires a sacrifice." That's how author Cara Sue Achterberg explains her ability to part with foster dogs whenever people ask, "Isn't it hard to let them go?" In her memoir detailing the chaotic first two years of her canine-fostering experience, Achterberg doesn't sugarcoat anything. It's difficult to say goodbye, and she's almost been a foster failure--someone who adopts their foster--on several occasions. But, ultimately, she wants to help as many dogs as she can, and that means letting each go in order to make room for others.
The loss of her own dog, Lucy, triggers Achterberg's desire to try fostering; she'll test dogs until she finds the right one for her family. However, what starts out as a pet search turns into a life mission. Achterberg passionately recounts her first fosters and all the follies and joys that accompany them. As she finds her footing, she ventures into fostering puppies and even a pregnant dog. Sometimes a dog isn't out her door before she's accepting a new one--or more. She wonders if her new calling is an addiction, "It felt so good to help a dog and to help a family. A happy drug. I needed another hit."
Another Good Dog is heartwarming and humorous. Achterberg fills her readers with the warmth of hope and light of inspiration, which will likely galvanize a new wave of fosters. A happy drug, indeed. --Jen Forbus, freelancer