Set in 1997, the story starts off with Dot rescuing a crow hit by a car. She works at an animal shelter and also has a hairless rat, two gerbils, and a lizard in her personal zoo. No dogs though, her landlord specified no dogs.

A year previously Dot's mother had been hit in a car accident and has not returned to consciousness. Dot avoids this reality, her dad, the sorry state of her apartment and most other people if she can help it.

Then enters Joe, a new volunteer at the shelter. He's overly interested in Dot. Most of her colleagues think it's a crush, but there's a different connection between the two.

When Dot's mother's health declines big secrets are revealed and heart break is front and center. Can Dot find a way to grieve and move forward?