About My Book

Unlocking the Bond is the much-anticipated sequel to my debut book, Unleashing the Bond: Harnessing the Power of Human-Animal Interactions. This book explores the paradox at the heart of our relationships with animals—how love, trust, and healing coexist with duty, sacrifice, and difficult choices.

My name is Rustin Moore, and I am the author of Unlocking the Bond. I wrote this book to illuminate the complexity and power of the human–animal bond, drawing from decades of experience as a veterinarian, teacher, and storyteller.

My hope is that, in reading this book, you will discover the extraordinary ways animals shape our lives—through companionship, healing, courage, and even heartbreak. I want to instill in you the same passion and awe that I feel for these connections. Ultimately, I want you to see this book as a tool for understanding, honoring, and deepening the bond you share with animals.

In Unlocking the Bond, you’ll learn about the profound lessons that animals teach us about trust and resilience, as well as the paradoxical moments when care and love intersect with pain and loss:

• Prison rehabilitation programs where incarcerated individuals train and care for dogs, discovering patience, empathy, and second chances through bonds that teach both human and animal how to trust again.
• Service dogs who empower people with disabilities by restoring independence, dignity, and confidence—demonstrating a bond built on trust, devotion, and life-changing partnership.
• Farmers, 4-H, and FFA youth, and veterinarians whose daily care for livestock reveals a bond rooted in stewardship—teaching responsibility, empathy, and resilience while navigating the paradox of devotion and inevitable loss.
• Police and military working dogs whose unbreakable partnerships with their handlers embody courage, loyalty, and sacrifice—bonds forged in trust that often mean the difference between life and death.
• Sporting and hunting dogs who work in harmony with their handlers, blending instinct and training into a bond of trust, respect, and shared purpose that turns each pursuit into a testament of partnership.

You will love this book if you:

• Cherish the companionship of animals and want to deepen your understanding of that connection.
• Are moved by stories of resilience, sacrifice, and healing.
• Seek a thoughtful exploration of the paradoxical responsibilities we bear in caring for animals.

The Book is Written in Five Sections

Each section contains several chapters, each of which blends history, science, and stories, and includes a short musing from my three black miniature schnauzers, Teddy, Travis, and Tucker.

This structure positions Unlocking the Bond as a journey through five dimensions of the human–animal bond, beginning with healing, moving through stewardship and work, exploring scientific marvels, and ending with performance and paradox.

• Section I – Transformative Bonds: The Potential for Human–Animal Interactions to Restore, Empower, and Heal
• Section II – Stewarding Bonds: Relationships Between Humans and Livestock
• Section III – Collaborative Bonds: The Powerful Connection Between Working Dogs and Their Human Partners
• Section IV – Aromatic Bonds: Role of Scent Detection Animals
• Section V – Performing Bonds: Connections Forged Between Animals and People for the Stage, in the Field, Ring, or Hunt

Launch Ticket Perks & Exclusive Packages

When you purchase or sponsor during the presale, you’ll receive:

• A physical or digital copy of Unlocking the Bond when it publishes in Spring 2026.
• Exclusive access to my Author Community for behind-the-scenes updates.
• The opportunity to help finalize my cover and title.
• Early access to the Introduction and select excerpts.
• And more!

Other Ways to Support Me

Even if you can’t purchase today, you can help by:

• Sharing this presale campaign on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn with your friends, family, and network. Please use #UnlockingTheBond and tag me.
• Recommending my book to five friends, family members, or colleagues who would enjoy it.

Thank you for your support—it means the world to me!

More About My Publishing Journey

I’m working with my publisher, Manuscripts, and a dedicated team—including editors, designers, and marketing specialists—to bring this book to life. Your early support ensures this vision becomes reality and helps spread the message of the human–animal bond further than ever before.

Will you join me on this journey and support Unlocking the Bond today?

About the Author

Dr. Rustin M. Moore is a distinguished veterinarian, author, and lifelong advocate for the transformative power of the human–animal bond. Growing up on a small farm in the Appalachian hills of West Virginia, he learned early how animals shape lives—a passion that has guided his nearly four-decade career.

Recognized globally for his leadership, scholarship, and mentorship, he serves as the 11th dean of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the inaugural Rita Jean Wolfe Endowed Dean. 

Author of Unleashing the Bond: Harnessing the Power of Human–Animal Interactions and its companion, Unlocking the Bond: The Power and Paradox of Human–Animal Interactions, Dr. Moore blends science, storytelling, and heart to illuminate the connections that enrich and heal both people and animals. Through his work, he inspires others to protect, preserve, and promote these enduring bonds.

For more information, you can connect with Rustin on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, at the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University, and at RustinMooreDVM.com.

Check out Rustin’s debut book, Unleashing the Bond, available now on Amazon.

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