Over half the households in America include an animal companion. Yet behind this immense love of animals lies an equally immense tragedy: each year, community animal shelters take in eight to twelve million lost and unwanted dogs and cats who face an uncertain fate. One at a Time: A Week in an American Animal Shelter brings this issue vividly to life via a true account of 7 days in a typical U.S. animal shelter. With compelling photos and moving vignettes, this book chronicles the stories of 75 animals who passed through a Northern California animal shelter during one week. Their gripping stories include excerpts from actual shelter records; the words of shelter workers, volunteers, and visitors; and the final conclusion of each animal's journey through the animal shelter system. Look into the eyes of these animals and let their stories give you a riveting and unforgettable glimpse into this nation's homeless animal tragedy. Whether it is the lost dog quickly reunited with his family because he was wearing an ID tag, the frightened cat given up by guardians who didn't understand the commitment of caring for her, the cat facing euthanasia or the dog joyfully adopted into a new home, each animal in One at a Time has an important lesson to teach and a powerful message to share. One at a Time will help you to see the real faces behind the numbers, and to experience the miracles and heartbreak that play out every day in our nation's shelters... one animal at a time. Even more importantly, One at a Time will give you hope, because this tragedy can be ended and each one of us can be part of the solution... offering us the chance to become better people, to reawaken our connection with other living beings, and to reaffirm the sanctity of life itself. The animals of One at a Time will show you how.