Robert Slack spent his boyhood in Helena, Montana. At age fourteen, his family moved to Hawaii where his father, Howard Slack, became Hawaii's first federal veterinarian at the time of statehood in 1959. After graduating from Kailua High School on Oahu, Bob attended Washington State University graduating with honors from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1971. Pursuing his passion for adventure, he moved to Australia to begin his veterinary career, first in Sydney, and later in Perth. After several years abroad, Bob returned to the U.S. to join a small animal practice in Spokane, Washington. Mid career he returned to college to pursue his interest in human behavioral science, and earned a degree in counseling.The blending of these two careers, both full time in veterinary medicine and part time in counseling, has given Bob a rich and unique perspective in writing this book on the miracle of the human-animal bond.
"""Tails is a powerful and affecting read. If you love dogs or cats, I doubt you will be able to put it down once you start reading it. Every story is made easily accessible to us non-veterinarians through Dr. Slack's perceptive telling of the profound life moments we experience with our pets - oftentimes laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes emotionally poignant, but always engaging with a sly linguistic wit."" - Jim Sayles, Spokane, WA"