What It Takes to Save a Life: A Veterinarian's Quest for Healing and Hope

"Only two years into his job as lead veterinarian at the Stanislaus County animal shelter, Dr. Kwane Stewart was on the verge of a breakdown. More animals were dropped off than he could care for, and, because the shelter never turned an animal away, it was the last stop for every unwanted pet in Northern California. One day, on the edge of despair, Stewart offered his veterinary services pro bono to a man outside a convenience store whom he had seen day after day; his dog was covered in bumps and having a serious allergy to fleas. With this one act of spontaneous generosity, Stewart confronted the truth: 'There was a tiny life before me, and, no, I couldn't save them all, but maybe I could save this one.' Armed with this new show more perspective, Stewart resolved to save his own life, too."
I read this book in record time. The need to continue to discover Dr. Kwane's various encounters with his clients was voracious. There are two stories woven into this book, the author's life story as well as that of his clients. There is always a reason to contrast and compare his own life to that of his often homeless clients. It is easy to drive by a homeless person and forget about it within seconds. This book encourages the reader to take a beat and consider not just that "there but for the grace of God, there go I," but to actually think about what horrible circumstances caused them to be in their situation. The profound joy of having a pet is easy to understand. Dr. Kwame explains how instrumental these pets are in giving their owner the desire to get up and continue day after day. In addition, these pets are often their only family who routinely stabilize their environment and give unconditional love. I was often teary-eyed and just as often smiling in the triumph of the animal/human connection. Dr. Kwame is unabashedly honest about his own trials and tribulations that humanize him in a way that few authors are brave enough to do. I volunteer at a low cost small animal vaccination clinic in South Texas and we have a similar program focusing on the homeless in our city. The gratitude and happiness expressed by this particular group of people is far and away genuine. I was inspired by Dr. Kwame's YouTube videos and that is how our program evolved. I highly recommend everyone to take a weekend to curl up with a cup of coffee or any other beverage and take a very memorable peek into the life and adventures of Dr. Kwame Stewart. You will not be disappointed. show less

This book has a lot of “heart” for animals.

Dr. Kwane shares a lot of personal experience from his life: his thoughts of suicide, panic attacks, marriage problems, financial difficulties and what he had to do to help raise his son. Yet, besides his son, his big love has always been with the dogs, cats and other animals that he has helped heal over 26 years as a veterinarian.

It brought back memories that I had during my short employment with a humane society where people brought in all kinds of dogs and cats. It was emotionally difficult to see the sweet faces and then realize that it was impossible to find homes for all of the animals.

It’s certainly a challenging job for Dr. Kwane when faced with too many dogs and cats and then show more not enough funds or kennels for the animals. He discussed candidly about what it was like to have a conversation when it would be time to let go which was never easy.

Dr. Kwane is a great storyteller. He talked about how much of an impact a pet has made with different homeless people. Many times, it’s the only thing that gives them a reason to live. And Dr. Kwane has always been there to help if he could.

It’s a book from a doctor with all the qualities it takes: compassion, patience, problem solving and one that communicates well. If you are a pet lover, this may one that you'll want to read. show less