Released last month by Adams Media, Banks’ collection of feel-good tales has a particular focus: All the adoptions happened through Petfinder.com, an animal-adoption service founded by Banks’ daughter and son-in-law, Betsy and Jared Saul, that brings together 8,000 animal-placement organizations in the United States and Canada with people looking for pets.

Two years ago, Bettini and her husband decided they were ready to get a dog. On their large spread on Diamond Ridge, they’ve put in ski and hiking trails — plenty of room for an energetic dog to romp around. Schwiesow wanted an Australian shepherd. A friend told them about Petfinder.com, and they were sucked into it.

“It’s a panoply of dogs,” Bettini said. “It’s pretty hard emotionally to leave this site.”

They didn’t find any dogs in Alaska, and expanded their search to Utah and Idaho.

“Voila: Up comes Roxie’s cute little picture,” Bettini said. “It’s what this dog was, panda bear adorable.”

The O’Hearns said they would foster the pup — now named Roxie — until Elliott could find her a home. The O’Hearns got Roxie spayed and vaccinated, and started getting her socialized with their ferret, cats, two Labrador retrievers and a friend’s puppy.

“‘They would come over, and you want to talk about mayhem. Those puppies had a ball,’” Pam O’Hearn told Banks.

Bettini and Schwiesow connected with Elliott through Petfinder.com. Elliott said it was a dream placement. There was just one problem: how to get Roxie to Alaska. In March. From Idaho.

“What that opened up was a long-distance, close friendship,” Bettini said.

Bettini had some airline miles, and said she’d arrange transportation for Roxie — if someone would fly up with her. John O’Hearn had never been to Alaska, and agreed to escort her up.

“I can’t believe he did that,” Bettini said. “March isn’t the most wonderful time of the year if you’re not a skier and are just here for grins.”

The story Banks doesn’t tell is Bettini meeting Roxie at the Anchorage airport, Bettini said. She drove up to Anchorage to meet John O’Hearn and got there three hours early. Friends from Anchorage sat with her because she was nervous and excited.

“By this time I’ve told the whole damn airport,” Bettini said.

She had no idea what O’Hearn looked like. Then she saw a tall man walk off the plane carrying a black dog leash with happy faces on it. They went down to baggage to get Roxie.

“We pulled the crate open. Out crawls this fuzzy little bundle of love. She starts licking my neck,” Bettini said. “People in the airport started clapping.”

Back in Homer, Bettini went by Nordic Metalworks, Schwiesow’s shop on FAA Drive, and introduced him to Roxie.

“He goes, ‘Oh, she’s pretty cute,’ and I lost it again.” Bettini said. “I still get teary-eyed … Roxie’s a great dog, a once-in-a-blue-moon dog.”

When Banks was writing her book, she asked Elliott for good stories. Elliott had lost Bettini’s e-mail address and contact information.

She wrote another Homer contact, Pat Moss, and asked if she knew Bettini — which she did. Roxie had taken one of Moss’ first puppy-obedience classes at Homer Dog Trainers, where Roxie “learned to be polite,” as Bettini put it.

Bettini and Schwiesow now keep in touch with Elliott and the O’Hearns. An entomologist and education director at the Pratt Museum, Bettini did an online teaching course with Elliott, a teacher in rural Idaho.

“The story was a reflection on what happens with special pets and special people,” Bettini said.

“Second Chances” includes other equally inspiring tales: a Shih Tzu rescued from a puppy mill, an older dog adopted by a woman who needed the dog as much as the dog needed her and a terrier reunited with his family after Hurricane Katrina.

“It was one of those times in the world where things are sweet and wonderful,” said Bettini of adopting Roxie. “This is a bright light. This project is a bright light.”

“Second Chances” is available at local bookstores or through Petfinder.com. Proceeds benefit the Petfinder.com Foundation and shelter and rescue programs.