Shannon Ross puts Toronto in the rearview to focus on her new job as the executive director of the Hamilton East Animal Shelter, where she is boss to an eclectic staff.

A look at the world of animal shelters and all the emotion-filled work that goes on there to save the lives of thousands of pets every year.

The daily struggles of animal lovers who have taken it upon themselves to run animal shelters for orphaned wild animals, mostly with their own resources, and often under their own roof.