New York City content creator Isabel Klee has published a memoir detailing her journey fostering challenging dogs. The book, 'Dogs, Boys, And Other Things I've Cried About,' draws from her experiences with over 35 foster dogs. Klee shares candid stories of joy, heartbreak, and the realities of rescue work.
Isabel Klee, a 33-year-old TikTok creator with more than 1 million followers, began fostering dogs at age 25 as a budget-friendly way to enjoy canine companionship in New York City. She admits her initial motivation was personal rather than purely altruistic. 'I would love to say I did it out of the goodness of my heart and to relieve shelters of their overpopulation crisis,' Klee says, 'but I really just did it because I was broke and wanted a dog of my own.' Her latest foster, a blind Chihuahua mix named Gracie with diabetes and glaucoma, arrived just weeks before the book's release. Klee took Gracie in after friends fostered her unsuccessfully for four months, hoping to demonstrate insulin care to her audience and boost adoption chances. 'She's so sweet and perfect, it's actually weird she hasn't been adopted yet,' Klee notes, attributing hesitation to her medical needs. The memoir reflects Klee's lifelong dog obsession, starting from childhood when she mimicked canine behavior to convince her family to adopt their first Golden Retriever, Ruby. As an adult, she kept her first foster, a Jindo mix named Simon, despite his undiagnosed epilepsy. 'If I had known, I probably would not have adopted him. But I'm glad that I didn't know because I would have missed out on my soulmate,' she says. Simon inspires her to tackle difficult rescues. Klee faced tragedy last December with elderly foster Zero, who suffered from dementia and other issues. Devastated when euthanasia became necessary, she adopted him to be present at the end. 'Sometimes the reality of the situation is that you can't help every dog,' she reflects. The book is dedicated to Simon: 'For my Simon: Thank you for everything. I promise I will be repaying you every day of your life for being the one constant in mine.' Gracie remains with Klee and Simon, awaiting adoption.
