Tails of Devotion: A Look at the Bond Between People and Their Pets

TAILS OF DEVOTION A Look At The Bond Between People And Their Pets is a coffee table book of letters and photographs of 58 San Franciscan families and their beloved pets -- a visual and profound testimony to the very special relationship between pets and their families. The book presents an interesting dialogue between owner and pet, and vice-versa, through a series of letters that answer the question: "If you and your animals could communicate via paper, what would you say to each other?"

Amy Tan writes a very personal foreword detailing her relationship with her animals as well as an ode to our pets. Luminaries such as Robin Williams, Isabel Allende, Peter Coyote, Ronnie Lott, Mickey Hart, Michael Chabon, Ayelet Waldman, Orlando Cepeda, Michael Tilson Thomas and Stephan Jenkins open the doors to their home life because of their love of animals and desire to help others who care about the animals.

The humans may vary, the non-humans may vary, the handwritten notes may vary but the message is clear - we love our animals, they are members of our family.

And, outside of the family unit, we have found that these animals are uniters of people not dividers. Anyone who has ever had a family pet will find kindred spirits in the letters and photos.

100% of the gross proceeds from TAILS will go to The San Francisco SPCA, the Friends of San Francisco Animal Care and Control, PAWS (Pets are Wonderful Support), Pets Unlimited and Rocket Dog Rescue. Each of these non-profit organizations is profiled in the book with their mission and work.

Emily Scott Pottruck is a former Wall Street executive and corporate marketing consultant who now devotes her energies to volunteerism and philanthropy. After years of being published in "letters to the editors", opining to her heart’s content, she found it was just as enjoyable relating other people’s viewpoints and stories. Emily received a BA from Simmons College and an MBA from Cornell University.

She lives in San Francisco with her husband, David, and has two adult step-children and two granddogs. She is an unrepentant lover of dogs, especially her own two Yorkshire Terriers, Andy and Boomer. Emily is also an obsessed golfer and crossword puzzle/sudoku fanatic.