Want to add a pet? New books can help

Thinking about adding a pet to your family? Consider a rescue animal.

There are many animal shelters and breed specific rescue sites you can easily access on the internet, and so many animals who need new forever homes. If you want to learn more about successful adoption and how to raise a happy and healthy pet, the Iowa City Public Library is here to help. We have hundreds of books about dogs, cats, rabbits, gerbils, lizards, cockatiels and other pets-to-be.

Not all rescue dogs are puppies. Animals, by no fault of their own, end up in a shelter because their human companions could no longer care for them. All the dogs I've adopted as an adult have been older and all of them have been and are wonderful pets. 'My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts” by Laura T. Coffey with photographs by Lori Fusaro, might inspire you to adopt an older pet. If you want to explore adopting a pet with the children in your family, look at 'Adopting Pets: How to Choose Your New Best Friend” by Bill Gutman. It offers excellent advice for the entire family on how to make the right decision. Looking for advice on how to care for and train your adopted dog, 'The Rescued Dog Problem Solver: Stories of Inspiration and Step-by-Step Training to Ensure Your Pet Rescue Success” by Shannon Kopp can help.

'Shelter Dogs in a Photo Booth” by Guinnevere Shuster will tug at your heartstrings and make you want to get to a shelter ASAP. If you are not quite ready to adopt, you can enjoy reading books about pet rescuers. 'Pound for Pound: A Story of One Woman's Recovery and the Shelter Dogs Who Loved Her” by Shannon Kopp or 'Miracle Dogs: Rescue Stories” by Liz Stavrinides are both heartwarming reads.

' Maeve Clark is adult services coordinator at the Iowa City Public Library.