Almost Perfect

Here's a book full of feel-good stories for pet lovers. The first book of its kind to focus solely on stories about disabled pets and their human companions, Almost Perfect Disabled Pets and the People Who Love Them is filled with essays by eleven contributors from three different countries about domestic pets whose special needs changed their owners' lives.

There is Simon, a three-legged barn car whose persistence keeps him hopping along. And Cagney, a paraplegic rat whose serves as a muse to a surprised grad student. Or Ruby the Lab-Doberman mix who adapts to a muscle eating disease and rolls around with the help of a cart.

Mary Shafer, publisher and editor of the book, writes about her own special needs cats, including Idgie, who is blind and was adopted by Shafer after the cats mother abandoned it.

Sounds like a feel-good read just perfect for these trying times. If you can't follow Ben Stein's advice to get a dog, maybe you can be inspired by those who got more than special pets.

You can read more about the book, including an excerpt here.