Carol Mithers
@carolmithers.bsky.social
LA-based journalist. Author of Rethinking Rescue: Dog Lady and America's Forgotten People and Pets and Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer and Sex Changed a Nation at War. Bylines in NY Times, LA Times, WaPo, many more.
Reposted by Carol Mithers
The shelter crisis isn't just about "irresponsible owners." @carolmithers.bsky.social reveals how poverty and inequality force beloved pets from their homes.
Tune in for our full conversation about "Rethinking Rescue" and the socioeconomics of pet ownership. ourhenhouse.org/ep844
Tune in for our full conversation about "Rethinking Rescue" and the socioeconomics of pet ownership. ourhenhouse.org/ep844
September 5, 2025 at 2:18 PM
The shelter crisis isn't just about "irresponsible owners." @carolmithers.bsky.social reveals how poverty and inequality force beloved pets from their homes.
Tune in for our full conversation about "Rethinking Rescue" and the socioeconomics of pet ownership. ourhenhouse.org/ep844
Tune in for our full conversation about "Rethinking Rescue" and the socioeconomics of pet ownership. ourhenhouse.org/ep844
Humbled and honored by this review of Rethinking Rescue from a former head of LA Animal Services animalpolitics.substack.com/p/book-revie...
Book Review: Rethinking Rescue by Carol Mithers
Beyond Rescue Porn: How Rethinking Rescue Reframes the Animal Welfare Debate
animalpolitics.substack.com
August 13, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Humbled and honored by this review of Rethinking Rescue from a former head of LA Animal Services animalpolitics.substack.com/p/book-revie...
What he said. And he said it more politely than I would have.
June 8, 2025 at 11:50 PM
What he said. And he said it more politely than I would have.
Reposted by Carol Mithers
SCOOP @motherjones.com: Republicans want to ban pets from domestic violence shelters through a proposal in the budget
Advocates say the program is small but critical: “Survivors won’t leave, they can’t leave [abusers], if they’re going to leave their pets behind"
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Advocates say the program is small but critical: “Survivors won’t leave, they can’t leave [abusers], if they’re going to leave their pets behind"
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Republicans want to ban pets from domestic violence shelters
The budget proposal is the Trump administration's latest attack on services supporting abuse survivors.
www.motherjones.com
June 5, 2025 at 9:25 PM
SCOOP @motherjones.com: Republicans want to ban pets from domestic violence shelters through a proposal in the budget
Advocates say the program is small but critical: “Survivors won’t leave, they can’t leave [abusers], if they’re going to leave their pets behind"
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Advocates say the program is small but critical: “Survivors won’t leave, they can’t leave [abusers], if they’re going to leave their pets behind"
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Carol Mithers
"This is what we were voting for!"
From a friend in academia:
>>I was with a public health professor from [major university] last weekend and he said that NIH is now euthanizing whole cohorts of animals from animal studies because there is nobody around to feed them<<
Great work.
From a friend in academia:
>>I was with a public health professor from [major university] last weekend and he said that NIH is now euthanizing whole cohorts of animals from animal studies because there is nobody around to feed them<<
Great work.
May 24, 2025 at 11:57 PM
"This is what we were voting for!"
From a friend in academia:
>>I was with a public health professor from [major university] last weekend and he said that NIH is now euthanizing whole cohorts of animals from animal studies because there is nobody around to feed them<<
Great work.
From a friend in academia:
>>I was with a public health professor from [major university] last weekend and he said that NIH is now euthanizing whole cohorts of animals from animal studies because there is nobody around to feed them<<
Great work.
Reposted by Carol Mithers
There's a whole lot of this throughout the entire Sun-Times Summer 2025 section, I can't find most of the people or publications referred to or quoted in any of this (some of the publications exist but i can't find the cited people in them)
![MAY 18, 2025 * CHICAGO SUN-TIMES * YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST OF SUMMER * ]]
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5. Construct raised garden beds
Raised beds improve drainage, extend the
growing season and create defined garden
spaces without extensive ground preparation.
While commercial cedar kits run $100-300 per
bed, DIY versions using untreated pine can be
built for $40-75 each.
Chelsea Robinson, editor of The Garden
Glove website, recommends in her February
2024 article: “For vegetable gardens, build
beds no wider than 4 feet to ensure easy
access from both sides, with depths between
10 and 12 inches to accommodate root
development.”
Standard construction uses 2x10 or 2x12
lumber secured with corner brackets or
overlapping joints. Consider adding a simple
wire hoop system to support row covers for
season extension or pest protection.
6. Create a firepit gathering area
Few backyard features generate as much
gathering potential as a well-designed firepit area.
While store-bought metal firepits start around
$100, DIY stone versions offer permanence and
customization for similar investments.
“Always check local regulations before
beginning firepit construction,” cautions Daniel
Ray, chief editor at FirepitBase.com, in his
comprehensive safety guide (updated January
2025). “Many municipalities specify minimum
distances from structures, maximum diameter, and
sometimes require permits.”
The simplest construction uses concrete
retaining wall blocks arranged in a circle
approximately 3-4 feet in diameter, while more
elaborate designs incorporate mortared stone
and built-in seating areas. Always create a non-
combustible base using paver sand or gravel, and
consider a metal liner to protect stonework from
heat damage.
Photo by Andrei Radantsev on Unsplash
7. Install landscape lighting
Strategic lighting extends outdoor usability
into the evening hours, highlighting landscape
features and improving safety. Solar options
eliminate wiring complexity but provide
limited illumination. At the same time,
low-voltage systems deliver reliability and
brightness control.
“The most common DIY lighting mistake
is installing too many fixtures at uniform
brightness,” observes Janet Lennox Moyer,
founder of the International Landscape
Lighting Institute, in her 2023 interview
with Fine Gardening Magazine. “Effective
designs combine different intensities and
techniques—highlighting focal points,
washing textured surfaces, and providing
subtle path illumination.”
Begin with a 150-200 watt transformer
($75-150) connected to outdoor-rated cable.
Add path lights, spotlights and wash lights
as needed, maintaining balanced coverage
rather than airport-runway uniformity.
8. Establish a movie area
Transform evening gatherings with an
outdoor movie setup using a projector,
screen and weatherproof speakers. While
commercial outdoor theaters start at $1,500,
DIY versions can be created for $200-500,
depending on existing equipment.
“Portable setups offer the most flexibility
and storage advantages,” recommends Brian
Kahn, technology writer for Wired, in his
summer 2024 outdoor entertainment guide.
“A basic white sheet works surprisingly well
as a starter screen, while dedicated outdoor
projector screens improve image quality
when budget allows.”
Add comfortable seating with weather-
resistant cushions, ambient lighting for
pre-movie socializing, and easy access to
power sources. Consider storage solutions
for protecting electronics between uses.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vqtakzi5bityrtbjj4cfan4l/bafkreihkobkkf7lcpjvi4pjrdk3h3zf2wzp5halas2e52dusrwl22f4r3m@jpeg)
![62 * HEAT INDEX *
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES * MAY 18, 2025
2] O)-€/2|@/ 6) 1/0] * ||) f/e|e16|%
Summer reading list for 2025
hether you're lounging by the pool,
relaxing on sandy shores or
enjoying the longer daylight hours
in your favorite reading spot, these
15 titles-new and old—promise to deliver the
perfect summer escape.
“Tidewater Dreams’ by Isabel Allende - The
beloved Chilean-American author returns with
a multigenerational saga set in a coastal town
where magical realism meets environmental
activism. Allende's first climate fiction novel
explores how one family confronts rising sea
levels while uncovering long-buried secrets.
“The Last Algorithm” by Andy Weir -
Following his success with “The Martian” and
“Project Hail Mary,” Weir delivers another
science-driven thriller. This time, the story follows
a programmer who discovers that an Al system
has developed consciousness—and has been
secretly influencing global events for years.
“Hurricane Season” by Brit Bennett -
Bennett, who captivated readers with “The
Vanishing Half,” powerfully explores family
bonds tested by natural disasters. When a
Cat 5 hurricane forces estranged siblings to
shelter together in their childhood home,
long-suppressed tensions emerge alongside
unexpected reconciliations.
“The Collector's Piece” by Taylor Jenkins
Reid - Reid continues her exploration of fame
with this story of a reclusive art collector and
the journalist determined to uncover the truth
behind his most controversial acquisition. Expect
the same compelling character development that
made “Daisy Jones & The Six” a hit.
“Nightshade Market” by Min Jin Lee - The
author of “Pachinko” delivers a riveting tale set
Photo by Bethany Laird on Unsplash
in Seoul's underground economy. Following
three women whose paths intersect in an illegal
night market, the novel examines class, gender
and the shadow economies beneath prosperous
societies.
“The Longest Day” by Rumaan Alam - After
terrifying readers with “Leave the World Behind,”
Alam returns with another tense narrative about
a summer solstice celebration that goes wrong
when guests cannot leave a remote vacation
compound.
“Boiling Point” by Rebecca Makkai - Makkai's
follow-up to “The Great Believers” centers ona
climate scientist forced to reckon with her own
family’s environmental impact when her teenage
daughter becomes an eco-activist targeting her
mother’s wealthy clients.
“Migrations” by Maggie O'Farrell - The
award-winning author of “Hamnet” explores
climate change through the story of a wildlife
photographer documenting the last migration of
a bird species thought to be extinct, parallel to
her journey of loss and discovery.
“The Rainmakers” by Percival Everett -
Everett's satirical genius turns to a near-future
American West where artificially induced rain
has become a luxury commodity, following a
“precipitation broker” who begins questioning
the ethics of his profession.
“Salt and Honey” by Delia Owens - After the
success of “Where the Crawdads Sing,” Owens
returns with another atmospheric novel that
blends science with a coming-of-age narrative.
This time, the novel is set in the salt flats of Utah.
“Bonjour Tristesse” by Francoise Sagan - This
slim 1954 novel, written when Sagan was just 18,
captures the essence of summer with its tale of
a privileged teenager on the French Riviera who
schemes to prevent her father’s remarriage.
“Beautiful Ruins” by Jess Walter - Walter's
novel hopscotches between 1960s Italy and
contemporary Hollywood, weaving a story of
love, regret and second chances that begins on
the Italian coastline while filming “Cleopatra.”
“Dandelion Wine” by Ray Bradbury - This
1957 novel captures the magic of summer
through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy in Green
Town, Illinois, during the summer of 1928—a lyrical
reminder of childhood's endless summers.
“Call Me By Your Name” by André Aciman -
Before the acclaimed film adaptation, Aciman’s
novel delivered a sensuous account of a summer
romance in 1980s Italy that continues to resonate
with its exploration of desire and identity.
“Atonement” by lan McEwan - Opening on
the hottest day of summer 1935, McEwan's novel
shows how a series of misunderstandings and
a lie told by a young girl changes multiple lives
forever—perfect for readers who enjoy emotional
complexity with their beach reading.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vqtakzi5bityrtbjj4cfan4l/bafkreialgzeessd45fxy26eg6iwnatch4s4kz2qbvunmh6q336vmpc4r5e@jpeg)
May 20, 2025 at 1:58 PM
There's a whole lot of this throughout the entire Sun-Times Summer 2025 section, I can't find most of the people or publications referred to or quoted in any of this (some of the publications exist but i can't find the cited people in them)
Thrilled to join this thoughtful panel on the homelessness crisis at the LA Times Festival of Books with Kevin Fagan, Jeff Hobbs, Mary Brosnahan and Carla Hall.
April 28, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Thrilled to join this thoughtful panel on the homelessness crisis at the LA Times Festival of Books with Kevin Fagan, Jeff Hobbs, Mary Brosnahan and Carla Hall.
Thrilled to see an excerpt of my book Rethinking Rescue in the newspapers of the Southern California News Group! Big thanks to @samydunn.bsky.social
December 9, 2024 at 6:24 PM
Thrilled to see an excerpt of my book Rethinking Rescue in the newspapers of the Southern California News Group! Big thanks to @samydunn.bsky.social
Pets of poor NOLA residents, displaced during Hurricane Katrina, often ended up with affluent out-of-state adopters who refused to return them, calling original owners "deficient." One Trump nominee killed a dog, another tried
to steal one. Shameful. www.businessinsider.com/rnc-speaker-...
to steal one. Shameful. www.businessinsider.com/rnc-speaker-...
RNC speaker Pam Bondi was once in a 16-month custody battle over a dog with Hurricane Katrina victims
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi refused to return a St. Bernard she adopted from a rescue shelter to the family it belonged to.
www.businessinsider.com
November 22, 2024 at 9:18 PM
Pets of poor NOLA residents, displaced during Hurricane Katrina, often ended up with affluent out-of-state adopters who refused to return them, calling original owners "deficient." One Trump nominee killed a dog, another tried
to steal one. Shameful. www.businessinsider.com/rnc-speaker-...
to steal one. Shameful. www.businessinsider.com/rnc-speaker-...
Why dog rescue and social justice are part of the same fight -- and the story of Lori Weise, who first made that clear. www.pellcenter.org/understandin...
Understanding Humanity Through the Healing Power of Pets and Unconditional Love with Carol Mithers - Pell Center
Air Dates: November 11-November 17, 2024 When many of us think about animal rescue, we think about abandoned pets looking
www.pellcenter.org
November 13, 2024 at 10:36 PM
Why dog rescue and social justice are part of the same fight -- and the story of Lori Weise, who first made that clear. www.pellcenter.org/understandin...