"In my early twenties, living far from my home in Michigan's Upper Peninsula wilderness and not yet having completed college, I knew two things: I loved animals and came from a law-enforcement family. I wanted nothing more than to become an animal control officer to rescue animals. As a young adult living in Lansing, I pursued my dream relentlessly and found my ideal job. That was fifteen years ago. A year later, as I established myself in the role, my passion for ending animal cruelty shone as I became the Sheriff department's first Animal Control Officer for dogs, cats, and many other species with the special title of Animal Cruelty Investigator. It started out rough, really rough. On the hardened city streets, I saw just how cruel people could be. At times, circumstances threatened to chew me up and spit me out. I was tranquilizing vicious dogs with my dart gun and going in first on police raids to snare dangerous guard dogs. I didn't give up. I learned from every wrong step and every experience. Now, so many years later, I want to share some of the stories that have taught me so much. I've reserved many felony-level, cut-throat, high-profile cases for another book at another time. Here, I share stories of sweet animals that deserved better and some experiences with people I've encountered along the way. The positive impact I made on these animals and these people's lives is what keeps me pinning the badge on my uniform every day with pride. Being a voice for the voiceless is the ultimate inspiration in my everyday life." -- Back cover.