Animal rescuers share their stories Book signing tonight at Andover Bookstore

Growing up, Lance Harrington, now a student at the Massachusetts School of Law, and his family always took Sunday drives.

One Sunday, when Lance was about 9, the family returned home with an extra passenger — a donkey from a going-out-of-business petting zoo.

The donkey was renamed Chester Harrigton, and came home to live in the family's barn, ousting Lance's father's 1967 Chevy Corvette.

"My brother and I decided that it would be much easier to keep a donkey in the barn as opposed to a Corvette, and besides, the donkey seemed more fun to us. After my begging, pleading, crying and a temper tantrum of still unconfirmed proportions, my father uttered the now famous family words, 'we'll take him'," says Harrington.

The story of Chester the donkey, written by Harrington, is just one of 49 included in a book titled "Please, Can We Keep the Donkey? A Collection of Animal Stories," which will be released April 12, the day of an animal-rights symposium at the school. Each of the book's 49 essays tells of how a MSLaw student or staff member helped or adopted a neglected, injured or homeless animal — cats, dogs, rabbits, even a boa constrictor — and how the animal, in turn, changed the life of its rescuer.

The book's foreword is written by actress Betty White, known as well for her love and activism on behalf of animals as for her roles on TV shows such as "the Golden Girls" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."

Law professor Diane Sullivan of North Andover is one of the book's editors. She was overwhelmed by the stories, Sullivan said, many from folks that don't consider themselves an "animal person."

"I can't tell you how excited and positive people have been. They're ecstatic," Sullivan said of the few advance copies of the book that have been circulating at the school. "Even nonanimal people have nothing but glowing comments."

Sullivan penned two essays in the collection, telling the stories of how she found her two dogs, Whitey and Winnie, at animal rescue shelters — or rather, how they found her.

All proceeds from sales of "Please, Can We Keep the Donkey?" will go to the Shadow Fund, which helps local residents pay for veterinary treatment they otherwise would not be able to afford.

Sullivan was instrumental in starting the fund three years ago for Shadow, a 5-year-old yellow lab rescued by Lawrence resident Robert Burke, a Vietnam veteran who was unable to pay for a surgery that Shadow needed. Sullivan and her animal law classes collected donations over and above what was needed to cover the surgery, and the surplus started the Shadow Fund.

The fund, which Sullivan said is running low, is maintained by the school and is open to any local resident unable to pay for necessary veterinary treatment.

In "Please, Can We Keep the Donkey?" law students and professors write of stopping to help a cat hit by a car, taking the injured stray to an all-night veterinary hospital, adopting a dog from a neighbor who would "forget" to give the pooch food or water and bringing home a cat that rescue workers found after living through Hurricane Charlie unscathed.

Another essay tells of adopting Jake, a full-size poodle from a rescue shelter. As Troy Daniels, the author, walked out of the shelter with Jake, a woman in the lobby scolded her child not to pet the "ugly dog."

Now, with plenty of love and TLC, Jake is a happy, healthy dog and Daniels gets compliments on his pet's beauty.

Sullivan, a fervent animal-rights activist, assigned the essays to students after a visit by retired Marine Lt. Col. Jay Kopelman, who spoke about his book on a puppy he rescued in Iraq.

After reading the essays, some of which brought her to tears, Sullivan approached colleague Holly Vietzke.

"Diane came in and said 'I think we have something here.' I read the essays, and I knew they were terrific," Vietzke said.

From there, the two professors asked for essays from other campus members. They edited, collected photos, compiled 49 of the essays and started contacting publishers.

"I'm sure some people here thought we were crazy," Vietzke said, referring to the unexpected pairing of animal rescue stories and lawyers.

The book's target audience is animal lovers of all ages, said Vietzke. The editors hope that "somebody that picks the book up might think of checking out an animal shelter instead of a breeder."

"We'd like it to be known that there are so many animals out there in need of a good home, and that an animal changes your life for the better," she said.

Copies of "Please, Can We Keep the Donkey?" can be purchased through the school's Web site, www.mslaw.edu or by calling 978-681-0800.

Copies of "Please, Can we Keep the Donkey?" are available through the MSLaw Web site, www.mslaw.edu or by calling 978-681-0800.

More information: For a complete schedule of events and directions, visit www.mslaw.edu or call 978-681-0800

Highlights of the day: Children and family events include agility demonstrations, animal craft, demonstrations by "working" dogs in today's society — therapy pets, canine teams and police dog demonstrations, pet etiquette, pet tricks, and MSLaw's Humane-itarian award. Adult sessions include investigating and prosecuting animal cruelty, a talk by Officer Martha Parkhurst of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, discussions on animals as property, case review of a claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress damages, pending legislation for trust for care of animals, no-kill shelters, case review of saving a dog's life, the practice of animal law and other animal-rights issues.

Photos

North Andover resident Diane Sullivan, a professor at the Massachusetts School of Law in Andover, with her two dogs Winnie (left) and Whitey. Sullivan is a fervent animal rights activist and directs the school's animal law program. Sullivan recently put together a book, "Please, Can we Keep the Donkey?," a collection of animal rescue stories from students and staff at the school. The book will be released on April 12, coinciding with an animal rights symposium at the school. Photo by Handout/Town Crossings Tuesday, April 01, 2008 Courtesy photo

Andover:Holly Vietzke (left) and Diane Sullivan, professors at the Massachusetts School of Law in Andover, hold a copy of the book they edited "Please, can we keep the donkey? A Collection of Animal Rescue Stories." The book, which will be launched at an Animal Rights Day event at the school April 12, is a collection of animal rescue stories, submitted by staff and students at the school. Bethany Bray/staff photo/Andover Townsman Friday, April 04, 2008 Staff photo