Rescuing Riley, Saving Myself

Two broken souls forge a healing bond in this “extraordinary story not only of love, but of strength, perseverance, and above all, courage” (Kay Pfaltz, author of Flash’s Song: How One Small Dog Turned Into One Big Miracle). While hiking on a solo vacation in a remote region of Arizona, Zachary Anderegg happened upon Riley, an emaciated puppy clinging to life, at the bottom of a 350-foot canyon. In a daring act of humanity, Zak single-handedly orchestrated a delicate rescue. But Zak and Riley’s destinies were intertwined long before they improbably found each other. For much of Zak’s childhood, he was at the bottom of his own canyon—a dark canyon created by a painful childhood of relentless bullies and parents who weren’t capable of love. When Zak came upon Riley, the puppy’s condition told a story of horrible abuse—three shotgun pellets embedded beneath his skin, teeth turned permanently black from malnutrition. The meeting was one of a man and a dog singularly suited to save each other. Rescuing Riley, Saving Myself is a touching story of overcoming fear, pain, and the regrets of the past with the help of a much-needed friend, in which “Anderegg served as an angel to Riley and, in turn, Riley did what dogs do best . . . Help us to heal” (Big Dogs Huge Paws, Inc.).