Dog Fancy

David Rosenfelt/Author

For the Love of Dogs

February 2006 issue

By Kyra Kirkwood

The doorbell rings, and suddenly the earth shakes with the bellowing barks of 27 elderly, unwanted or medically challenged dogs. And author David Rosenfelt couldn't pick out a sweeter tune.

Rosenfelt and his wife, Debbie Myers, share their Southern California home with rescued dogs, mostly Golden Retrievers, that would have otherwise been put to sleep because they were too old or, in some cases, too "much trouble" to be adopted.

"They're all individual pets to us. These dogs, for the last months of their lives, are loved and safe and happy," he says.

For years, Rosenfelt and Myers ran the Tara Foundation, named after "the greatest Golden Retriever the world has ever known." This rescue group adopted out more than 4,000 dogs, mostly Goldens found in shelters and surrendered by owners. Those that were too old to be placed came home with Rosenfelt and Myers. Although they no longer run the rescue, these two still offer their home as a sanctuary to dogs needing a safe, loving place to live out their lives.

"In my office, there's usually 15 [dogs] at any one time," Rosenfelt says, strolling through his house and counting off the dogs: eight in the kitchen, more over here in the hall. "The house looks like a Civil War battlefieldãbodies lying everywhere."

The dogs in residence never fight, not even during the lengthy feeding times (it can take hours to feed a hungry herd). In fact, Rosenfelt says he has only had one serious canine squabble in all his years as a modern-day St. Francis.

"Somehow, rescued dogs are grateful," he says. "They just know."

Rosenfelt, who is the author of such popular mysteries as "Sudden Death" and "Bury the Lead," once took an unwanted dog with grand maul seizures from a Kentucky, and two more pups were bequeathed to him in a woman's will. These two (a Labrador-mix and American Eskimo) came from a stranger who, impressed by Rosenfelt's dog-loving nature, issued this caretaking act as her last request.

"You can't turn down a dying wish," he says.

And the list goes on. Rosenfelt routinely gets calls for help each month, and constantly fields readers' emails asking for assistance. At one time, he lived with a total of 37 canines. All in harmony.

The main character in his books, defense attorney Andy Carpenter, is a certifiable dog lover. A multi-million inheritance allowed Carpenter to create a dog-rescue operation named after his own beloved Golden retriever. Rosenfelt certainly shares his brainchild's passion for pups.

"But I wasn't always a dog lunatic," he jokes. "Now, I'm really over the top."

Caring for the dying Tara in 1993 was a life-changing experience for Rosenfelt. He began volunteering at shelters, but needed to do something more when he kept witnessing people practically throwing their dogs away for no reason. Thus, the Tara Foundation was born.

Now, he says proudly, "4,000 dogs were saved in her memory."

Along with countless others living out their golden years at the base of Rosenfelt's writing desk, baying at the doorbell.