Recently I read Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown's book "Claws and Effect" pub. March 2001 and was very taken by the dedication. Thought that you'd enjoy reading it, too. It's:

Dedicated to the people who work in animal shelters. You're overworked and underpaid but you have given your life to a different kind of reward. God bless you.
I like thes R.M.B. and S.P.B. mysteries. Lots of humor and the chapters alternate action between the people in small town Virgina and their animals (who have a MUCH better idea of what's going on than the humans do).

Just thought that you'd enjoy reading this dedication, too.