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When Dogs Heal: Powerful Stories of People Living with HIV and the Dogs That Saved Them
The best medicine may not always be found at a pharmacy or in a doctor's office. Sometimes it comes in the form of a four-legged friend.
Three well-known leaders in their fields—award-winning dog photographer Jesse Freidin, adolescent HIV+ specialist Dr. Robert Garofalo, and LGBTQ advocate and journalist Zach Stafford—offer a refreshing, beautiful, and unique portrait of HIV infused with a deep message of hope. Each extraordinary profile shows the power of the incredible bonds between humans and their canine companions, whether that means combating loneliness and stigma, discovering the importance of unconditional love, overcoming addiction, or simply having a best friend in a time of need.
When Dogs Heal shares the stories of a diverse set of people who are thriving and celebrating life thanks to the compassion and unconditional love of their dogs.
A portion of the proceeds from this book benefits Fred Says, an organization dedicated to financially supporting HIV+ teen health care.
Three well-known leaders in their fields—award-winning dog photographer Jesse Freidin, adolescent HIV+ specialist Dr. Robert Garofalo, and LGBTQ advocate and journalist Zach Stafford—offer a refreshing, beautiful, and unique portrait of HIV infused with a deep message of hope. Each extraordinary profile shows the power of the incredible bonds between humans and their canine companions, whether that means combating loneliness and stigma, discovering the importance of unconditional love, overcoming addiction, or simply having a best friend in a time of need.
When Dogs Heal shares the stories of a diverse set of people who are thriving and celebrating life thanks to the compassion and unconditional love of their dogs.
A portion of the proceeds from this book benefits Fred Says, an organization dedicated to financially supporting HIV+ teen health care.
152 pages, Paperback
Published March 2, 2021
6 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Jesse Freidin
5 books6 followersJesse Freidin is one of America's leading fine art dog photographers with work in more than 100 private collections throughout the United States. His portraiture has been exhibited in galleries across the country, and studies the deeply healing power of the human/animal bond— telling a contemporary story of companionship and love that truly honors the role dogs play in our modern lives.
Jesse was awarded 'Best Dog Photographer in the San Francisco Bay Area' and 'Best Dog Photographer in Los Angeles' for fine art pet portraiture in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. He is also the creator of three viral dog photography series: The Doggie Gaga Project (2010), When Dogs Heal (published by Skyhorse Press in 2018) and Finding Shelter (published by Lyons Press 2017). His work has been featured in Vogue, Cosmopolitan, The Huffington Post, Yahoo!, MTV, Live! with Regis and Kelly, Inside Edition, The Bark Magazine, Dogster, Garden and Gun Magazine, The New York Post, Four and Sons Magazine and many more.
Jesse was awarded 'Best Dog Photographer in the San Francisco Bay Area' and 'Best Dog Photographer in Los Angeles' for fine art pet portraiture in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. He is also the creator of three viral dog photography series: The Doggie Gaga Project (2010), When Dogs Heal (published by Skyhorse Press in 2018) and Finding Shelter (published by Lyons Press 2017). His work has been featured in Vogue, Cosmopolitan, The Huffington Post, Yahoo!, MTV, Live! with Regis and Kelly, Inside Edition, The Bark Magazine, Dogster, Garden and Gun Magazine, The New York Post, Four and Sons Magazine and many more.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 31, 2022
I loved everything about this book: the people, the dogs, the stories, and the photographs. They portray the love shared so beautifully. I smiled and I cried, sometimes at the same time. Highly recommended!
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
This unbiased review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
December 16, 2020
As full disclosure, my boyfriend created the website for the When Dogs Heal project and I've been eagerly waiting for the book's release for years now. When I saw it available on NetGalley, I snapped it up fast. That said, this is an honest review based on my experience as a reader.
This book is an utter treasure that had me tearing up multiple times over the evening it took me to read it.The stories were heartfelt and every single one of them was well-written.
The book follows a simple format: a beautiful photograph of a person and their dog(s), followed by their story. Each story runs between one and three pages and focuses on the featured person's experiences with being HIV+ and how owning a dog improved their quality of life.
The book creators did a fantastic job highlighting a wide variety of experiences and people from various backgrounds. BIPOC, cis, trans, queer, and straight HIV+ dog owners are all featured. One of the heartbreakingly frequent themes among the queer stories is rejection by one's family and addiction, shining a light on the very real challenges queer people face as a whole and how those challenges intensify due to the persistent stigma of an HIV diagnosis.
But ultimately, these stories are hopeful and reflect the emotional and physical benefits of pet ownership. This book would make a wonderful addition to any person's shelf.
This book is an utter treasure that had me tearing up multiple times over the evening it took me to read it.The stories were heartfelt and every single one of them was well-written.
The book follows a simple format: a beautiful photograph of a person and their dog(s), followed by their story. Each story runs between one and three pages and focuses on the featured person's experiences with being HIV+ and how owning a dog improved their quality of life.
The book creators did a fantastic job highlighting a wide variety of experiences and people from various backgrounds. BIPOC, cis, trans, queer, and straight HIV+ dog owners are all featured. One of the heartbreakingly frequent themes among the queer stories is rejection by one's family and addiction, shining a light on the very real challenges queer people face as a whole and how those challenges intensify due to the persistent stigma of an HIV diagnosis.
But ultimately, these stories are hopeful and reflect the emotional and physical benefits of pet ownership. This book would make a wonderful addition to any person's shelf.
December 23, 2020
ARC was provided by NetGalley and Zest Books in exchange for an honest review.
This review is being published before the release date (March 2, 2021)
Content/Trigger Warnings: Mental health, homophobia, toxic relationships, addiction (drug abuse & alcoholism), depression, grief, mentions of suicidal ideation, trauam/PTSD, mentions of terminal illness (cancer), death, loss of a loved one, microaggressions, mentions of rape, mentions of assault, mentions of a forced outing
“What I’ve learned throughout my life is that while I struggle to feel loved and supported by the people around me, I can always rely on my dogs, no matter what.”
With my whole chest, I love this book so damn much! I’m a firm believer that there are some books that everyone needs to read at least once in their life. This is one of those books. All too often society doesn’t talk about mental health or certain illnesses because of the stigma around them. And all too often, that stigma can cause a one-sided perspective of them and the person who has to face these challenges every day. HIV and those who have HIV are no exception to these type of circumstances, but this book is so fantastic because it offers so many different perspectives, from a plethora of people who share their own stories. I can’t express the importance this book holds and how much I wish I could put this book in everyone’s hands.
This book is a collection of stories with a photo of a person(s) and their dog(s), and their story. Each story is centered around their story with HIV and how their canine companions help them heal, and improving their life despite the challenges happening to them. Throughout the book you’ll meet a plethora of diverse people who are trans, do drag, queer, BIPOC, and so much more. You’ll learn about their background and the most common theme is the rejection of one’s family and loved ones, addiction, and facing the struggles of mental health from all the stigma surrounding HIV.
This is probably the most emotional book I’ve read in a very long time. You know I love my books that make me cry and steal my soul away, and this book succeeds at that. This book is so heart breakingly beautiful and it shines a light on the importance of fighting back against the stigmatism surrounding HIV. As someone who faces stigmatism around certain mental health challenges, this book hit so close to home on how hard it is to keep going despite the stigma, despite feeling like you don’t have the support you need, and this book melted me into a puddle. And while I don’t have HIV, one of my good friends passed away from having HIV and seeing the hardships they faced, reading this book just hit so close to home in so many ways. I think that’s why I loved it so much because I love books that touch that part of my soul.
“I am not a bad person – you don’t get HIV because you’re a bad person. You can be a good person, an educated person, and get HIV. We have to get past the stigma – that is the reason people don’t get tested and are not honest about their status.”
I think the thing I love most about this whole book is the hopefulness and the reflection on the benefits, emotional and physical, that pets have on people. I loved that despite the hardships all these people face, there’s always a feeling of hopefulness, of love, and seeing the silver-lining. And I think with everything combined, the good and the bad, readers will be able to connect with the people within this book.
Overall, I don’t want to say too much about this book because I want to encourage you to go pick this book up and read it. I believe with my whole heart that everyone needs to read this book at least once in their life because this book is too important not to. Even though I read and finished this in 2020, this is book has made it onto my top books of 2021 because it truly is a master piece and I just love it so, so much!
“I know that without him I wouldn’t be alive, and without me he wouldn’t either. We saved each other.”
The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
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November 23, 2020
This is a very sweet book on the vital relationship between dogs and humans. The way these stories unfold and the variety of them is a nice illustration of just how robust, important, and ultimately unique the experience of becoming family with a dog can be. The portraits were incredibly sweet too.
FTC disclosure: I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
FTC disclosure: I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
May 7, 2021
This book is full of reinforcing stories about the power of a dog's love and how that love can change and heal a person. All the stories have a happy positive message but there are negative and sad parts in most, mainly before a dog came into their life. It also addresses the stigma as all the participants were either afraid of this or experienced loss of friends and relationships at least in part due to the diagnosis. I learned more about HIV from these people so openly sharing their stories and experiences and my hope is that this book can open people's eyes, minds and hearts to those with the diagnosis.
March 12, 2021
Dogs Heal, because they are capable of love in its purest form. This love, delivered in a joyful and soft package is a life-saver.
When you’ve had the honor to love and be loved by a dog, you unknowingly become a part of a community.
Someone shares their story, and regardless of how little or how much you have in common with that person, you absolutely get what they mean when they say their dog changed them.
This book takes it to a very honest, higher level.
Dogs work their healing magic, steadfastly wagging their tail and inspiring life-saving things--self-love, routine, getting us outside in the world when nothing or nobody else could.…especially in the face of heartbreakingly difficult circumstances.
Every single story in this gorgeous book made me want to reach through the pages and offer an embrace to the person writing it. Steven and Hope’s story will likely stay with me forever.
The combination of these beautiful portraits by Jesse and the individual voice in each testimonial is at once a powerful and vulnerable experience.
Emotional beyond words and deeply educational, I am in awe of the power a dog can have to inspire love and life in a person.
I’m grateful for these stories, and each of the dogs that unknowingly save their people on a daily basis.
My deepest, and sincerest respect for these amazing people who may credit their dogs with saving their lives, but I see them as heroes of their own story, facing hell while wrapped in a blanket of grace.
I tell Willow (my dog) I love her every single day we get to spend together. After reading this book, I thank her for healing me in ways I wasn’t even aware of.
When you’ve had the honor to love and be loved by a dog, you unknowingly become a part of a community.
Someone shares their story, and regardless of how little or how much you have in common with that person, you absolutely get what they mean when they say their dog changed them.
This book takes it to a very honest, higher level.
Dogs work their healing magic, steadfastly wagging their tail and inspiring life-saving things--self-love, routine, getting us outside in the world when nothing or nobody else could.…especially in the face of heartbreakingly difficult circumstances.
Every single story in this gorgeous book made me want to reach through the pages and offer an embrace to the person writing it. Steven and Hope’s story will likely stay with me forever.
The combination of these beautiful portraits by Jesse and the individual voice in each testimonial is at once a powerful and vulnerable experience.
Emotional beyond words and deeply educational, I am in awe of the power a dog can have to inspire love and life in a person.
I’m grateful for these stories, and each of the dogs that unknowingly save their people on a daily basis.
My deepest, and sincerest respect for these amazing people who may credit their dogs with saving their lives, but I see them as heroes of their own story, facing hell while wrapped in a blanket of grace.
I tell Willow (my dog) I love her every single day we get to spend together. After reading this book, I thank her for healing me in ways I wasn’t even aware of.
February 16, 2021
Although there may be naysayers out there, it's clear that the animals in our lives can save us and give us a reason to go on, if only because they need us. In this lovely book of testimonies about the healing power of dogs, readers meet several individuals who describe how their lives were changed by a HIV diagnosis and by the adoption of a dog. The 36 different stories feature a diverse cast of characters whose road toward acceptance has sometimes been rocky but always eased by the unconditional love of a canine companion. The pain, loneliness, isolation, loss, guilt, and confusion that many of them experienced after their diagnosis are reminders of the stigma that is sometimes still attached to AIDs and HIV. While much of these accounts are painful to read, there is also much joy and hope shared within their lines. The full-page color portraits of the individuals and their dogs, sometimes long gone and memorialized in an urn or another photo held by the human companion, filled my heart with compassion and love as I pondered the connection between dogs and their humans. This was a brilliant idea for a book project, and I hope other readers will be just as moved as I was by these stories of resilient human beings and the dogs in their lives.
November 18, 2021
Some TW in this book to take note of: rape, sexual assault, depression, suicidal thoughts
A heartwarming, emotional and poignant read, When Dog Heals is a collection of stories by HIV+ positive individuals and their journey in overcoming their struggles. Each story is different yet they all have one thing in common: dogs. As each individual struggle to get back onto their feet whether, from addiction, depression or fears, they find solace in having a dog. It gives them a purpose in life, a way to start a routine and solace. Having a dog isn’t just about having a pet, it’s also being part of a family.
Reading these stories gave me a lot of emotional moments. Each and every single of their experience is rather traumatic. Some struggle with acceptance, denial, depression or even just being alive. They felt as if their world came crashing down the day they received the news. Most of these stories are from people who lived in the 80s and 90s when being diagnosed with HIV is basically being handed with a death sentence notice.
This is definitely a 5 stars read for me. I would like to thank @netgalley for this eye-opening and emotional review copy. I highly recommend this book in conjunction with non-fiction November.
A heartwarming, emotional and poignant read, When Dog Heals is a collection of stories by HIV+ positive individuals and their journey in overcoming their struggles. Each story is different yet they all have one thing in common: dogs. As each individual struggle to get back onto their feet whether, from addiction, depression or fears, they find solace in having a dog. It gives them a purpose in life, a way to start a routine and solace. Having a dog isn’t just about having a pet, it’s also being part of a family.
Reading these stories gave me a lot of emotional moments. Each and every single of their experience is rather traumatic. Some struggle with acceptance, denial, depression or even just being alive. They felt as if their world came crashing down the day they received the news. Most of these stories are from people who lived in the 80s and 90s when being diagnosed with HIV is basically being handed with a death sentence notice.
This is definitely a 5 stars read for me. I would like to thank @netgalley for this eye-opening and emotional review copy. I highly recommend this book in conjunction with non-fiction November.
March 6, 2021
Revolutionary both for the joy it exudes and in its storytelling that’s at once comprehensive and self-contained.
Before continuing, I have to say that the book itself is gorgeous. The sturdy binding makes me feel like I’ll be handing it down for generations to come and the photos are personal and emotive and so nicely staged that I’d love this even if it were just a picture book.
But it’s the storytelling that sets this book apart from all others. The writing is split into vignettes told from the point of view of a diverse set of people living with HIV, but standing to each other, they form a comprehensive history of HIV in the west. And while the individual stories are deeply memorable — Gary and Harry, for example — and littered with obstacles to overcome, the overarching narrative they tell is one of universal love, hope, and joy.
I can’t recommend it enough
Before continuing, I have to say that the book itself is gorgeous. The sturdy binding makes me feel like I’ll be handing it down for generations to come and the photos are personal and emotive and so nicely staged that I’d love this even if it were just a picture book.
But it’s the storytelling that sets this book apart from all others. The writing is split into vignettes told from the point of view of a diverse set of people living with HIV, but standing to each other, they form a comprehensive history of HIV in the west. And while the individual stories are deeply memorable — Gary and Harry, for example — and littered with obstacles to overcome, the overarching narrative they tell is one of universal love, hope, and joy.
I can’t recommend it enough
May 4, 2023
A truly extraordinary book about almost ordinary people and their dog companions. This photo essay and all the personalities involved make a testament to human endurance and the compassionate response of mans best friend. A treasure of a project and a book worth sharing widely.
September 12, 2021
An inspirational book of stories about how canine companions made a difference in the lives of ill people.
September 30, 2021
Great heartwarming stories about the power of animals in our lives. They're all pretty short, but it doesn't make them any less powerful.
October 3, 2021
36 Individuals share their personal and four-legged friends' stories of dealing with their HIV or their partners' battles.
Heartfelt and heartbreak...
Beautiful photographs and stories!
Heartfelt and heartbreak...
Beautiful photographs and stories!
February 19, 2022
Great stories from real people facing real challenges and how pets changed their lives.
October 21, 2022
I loved the opening photo of every story, BUT my only complaint is that after getting to know the doggie and his/her human, I wanted another portrait at the end of the chapter.
Read
April 1, 2021Man’s best friend is just what the doctor ordered in this diverse essay collection celebrating the powerful impact dogs have had on HIV+ individuals.
Reviewer #10
Reviewer #10
March 3, 2021
Reading When Dogs Heal was like getting a vaccination against all the cynicism and disconnection that's been accumulating from the events of the past few years. I wanted to reach into the beautiful photographs and hug every person who bravely participated in this book. Their stories reveal the terribly heartbreaking experience of living with HIV and remind us that, beyond any differences, many of us share a profound connection with each other: the gift of loving and being loved by our dogs. If you're feeling weary these days, this moving book will be a balm for your heart.
ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews