This is not a review. As I mentioned in my Animal Books post, I automatically adore nonfiction books about animals and am completely biased so I adored this book. I literally cried (for the first time) because it was so adorable. I also cried because it was heartwarming and there was some animal death/abuse passages. But mainly it’s so cute! Look at the little thing.

Piglet was born deaf and blind in a hoarder’s house, the runt of the litter so when Dr. Shapiro took him in as a foster puppy she thought it would be just that. A foster, where she helps him get on his feet and trained a bit with vital cues to come, stay, sit, etc. before a lucky adopts him. After all, her family already has six dogs and four birds, they can’t add a seventh.

But she and her husband underestimated how Piglet would capture their hearts from his enthusiasm with his new dog mates to his willingness to learn. Despite his handicaps, he is just as capable and full of life and affection as any dog. In fact, her Facebook updates on his training prove this as he figures out to walk up the stairs by himself after months of navigating the terrain (something his owners hadn’t expected he’d be able to do) to being able to feel the breath change of someone voice in his ears that signal what he is to do. It was hard to fight the truth, they had become with this persistant little dog and end up adopting him themselves, but then he went viral.

I mean he got on People magazine thanks to the adorable videos of his training as comments grew and more and more people became Piglet fans. But what was more gratifying than going viral was how teachers used Piglet’s stories to encourage children to take up a Piglet mindset. That it is to be dedicated, persistant and willing to learn in the face of challenges. To be kind and compassionate to those who are different from you. All great things to learn so Dr. Shapiro decides to take the show on the elementary school circut and bring the Piglet mindset worldwide and encourage kindness to disabled animals, all animals really.

Now Piglet is the true story of the story but it is not just about him. It is a thorough story of Dr. Shapiro’s life from her first aspirations to help animals to running her own freelance vet practice as well as her marriage, children and of course, her many pets. As a vetinarian, she is able to impart information about breeding, vet practices, vet school and training where she is an expert in. Not only is there professional knowledge but a lot of heart. It is clear that she fully cares for animals, all kinds and how much animal abuse/neglect rankles her when animals should be treated just as kindly as we are to fellow humans (sometimes).

Additionally, in the road to creating Piglet Mindset materials, Dr. Shapiro learns a bit about disability rights thanks to disability lawyer/advocate, Dr. Haben Grima. Grima’s take on the subject is to stop seeing disabilities as inspirational but as beings that are capable. That it is not to say they can’t inspire one like your favorite role models, but rather see their actions as miraculous, see it as they have always been capable of doing what everyone else does, they just have to do it in a different way. That’s what Dr. Shapiro tries to follow as she answers the question “Has Piglet inspired her?” She says no, Piglet does not inspire her as much as she loves him but he has inspired her to do more, do things like create a nonprofit foundation that she hadn’t thought she was capable of, and he inspired her to cultivate a new mindset.

Overall, it’s a heartwarming book that any animal lover will enjoy.