The Dogs Who Found Me: What I've Learned From Pets Who Were Left Behind

Ken Foster

Aug 2016 · Rowman & Littlefield

About this ebook

Now regarded as a classic in dog literature, Ken Foster's memoir chronicles his journey from first-time dog owner to rescuer--and all the lessons and mistakes he made along the way. Bookended by the tragedies of 9/11 and Katrina, Foster finds that dogs open his eyes to the benefits of compassion, selflessness, and the chaotic beauty of living each day in the moment.
But more than Foster's own story, readers remember the dogs. Among them are Duque, a Costa Rican stray; Brando, Foster's first adopted dog and a supposed pit bull mix who outgrew his Manhattan studio apartment; Rocco, a clownish red pit bull whose owner mistakenly gives him away to the wrong person; Zephyr, a cheerful Rottweiler mix who awakens Foster by sitting on his chest when his heart stops working; and Sula, the tiny lost pit bull who showed up at Foster's door one day and stayed.
Whether bearing witness to national tragedy, grieving the death of a friend, or dealing with his own mortality, Foster finds strength in his dogs, and in the reciprocal nature of rescue.

About the author

Ken Foster is the editor of two anthologies, including Dog Culture, and the author of Dogs I Have Met and I’m a Good Dog. His collection of short stories, The Kind I'm Likely to Get, was a New York Times Notable Book. His work has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney's, and The Believer. He has taught at The New School, Florida State University, and the University of Southern Mississippi. In 2008, he founded The Sula Foundation, which promotes responsible dog ownership among the pit bull population and sponsors education and outreach in the New Orleans area. He lives in New Orleans, with at least three dogs.