Shelby James has a soft-spot for the underdog. Sick dogs, homeless cats, hurt birds, she goes to bat for them all as a veterinary nurse. So it''s no surprise that Miranda Wall and her menagerie of needy animals appeal to her. But there''s more to Miranda than meets the eye: a silent daughter named Jessie, and a stalking husband, among other disasters. When Shelby she takes a closer look into Miranda''s life, her search takes her into the sinister world of mental illness, child abuse, and domestic violence. Set against the harsh beauty of the Saskatchewan prairie, Targets of Affection explores the link between animal abuse and child abuse.