When we think of pets living their happiest life, we often imagine dogs running through a field and cats chasing butterflies in tall grass. So, perhaps when rural animal shelters come to mind, we envision wide-open spaces, abundant nature, and a kind of quiet way of life for homeless pets

PART I: I was in the kitchen of my childhood home, watching my sisters bustling around each other and thinking the hecticness of the holidays should be over by now, when my phone rang. We had a cross-country rescue that took us coast to coast just before Christmas and while