Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Living in the countryside, I frequently witness abandoned pets, mostly cats, but some dogs. They wander around looking for a place to belong, to feel safe and to be loved. It’s heartbreaking. Teresa Whitaker Smith’s short story, Corrie Cocker Spaniel, really touched my heart to the point where I wanted to pick up Corrie and give him a loving home, to show him that he is loved.

Unlike so many abandoned and discarded pets, Corrie Cocker Spaniel did find a place to feel safe and loved. Not a human home, but a home in a magical forest where all the animals take care of each other. Corrie had to get over his anger first. After young Boie’s father dumped him in the forest, Corrie wandered around, lost, sad, scared, hungry and, finally, angry. He had been very happy with Boie, but Boie’s father had lost his job and the family was moving into an apartment in the city where no dogs were allowed. There was no one to take Corrie into their home, so Boie’s father discarded the family dog.

This story is told with love and compassion by someone who is obviously an animal lover. The message is clear: don’t abandon a beloved pet. These animals are a vital, important part of the family. Would you abandon a child in the forest and leave them to fend for themselves? Or a parent? It’s one thing to say you’re an animal lover and you want to own a pet. This is not something to take lightly. Having a pet is a responsibility filled with love, time, work, and, yes, money, for proper pet care can be expensive. Pets are not ornaments to be discarded when things get difficult. A charming story with an important message.