Product Description

Philip Gonzalez had lost all interest in living after an industrial accident left him disabled. A friend suggested he adopt a dog.Reluctantly he went to the shelter, where Ginny, a badly abused one-year-old pup,quickly won him over. Philip realized immediately that Ginny was no ordinary dog--she had an amazing sixth sense that enabled her to find and rescue stray and ailing cats.There's Madame,who is completely deaf; Revlon, who has only one eye;Betty Boop,who has no hind feet;and Topsy, a paralyzed kitten whom Ginny found abandoned in an empty building. Ginny and Philip have now rescued and found homes for over 200 cats, and they have over 60 "outdoor cats" whom they visit and feed twice daily. Even more than extraordinary, Ginny's angelicmission has given Philip a sense of purpose and a new lease on life. You will never forget the true adventures of Ginny, the dog who rescues cats.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21815 in Books
• Published on: 1996-10-23
• Released on: 1996-09-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

Amazon.com Review
This poignant canine memoir recounts the story of Ginny, a Long Island dog with a remarkable ability to seek out and rescue homeless cats. Simple but delightful, the story is narrated from the perspective of Ginny's owner, Philip Gonzalez. Badly disabled in an industrial accident, Gonzalez quickly fell into a downward spiral of despair. His saving grace arrived in the form of a small, scruffy grey dog. Ginny quickly provided Philip with a focus in life: cats--hundreds of them. Each chapter recounts Ginny's amazing rescues of helpless felines. Particularly heartwarming is the image of Ginny running across broken glass to reach a kitten in distress. As Ginny saved cats, Philip housed them, and soon his life was taken over by the creatures--many disabled or disfigured. The Dog Who Rescues Cats is packed with touching photographs of Ginny and her feline family. Included is an introduction by Cleveland Amory, noted animal enthusiast and author of The Cat Who Came for Christmas.

From School Library Journal
YA?When Philip Gonzalez, a young Vietnam vet, became disabled in an industrial accident, he didn't realize how drastically his life would change. Always fit and active, he found himself living on disability with little prospect of employment. Depressed and isolated, he finally followed a friend's advice and got a dog for companionship and to keep him from being so self-centered. Not being a dog lover, he was somewhat bewilderingly taken by a female mongrel named Ginny, who was in almost as bad shape as he. She soon became the center of his life?but the center of her life seemed to be stray cats. Soon Gonzalez was also taking in debilitated felines. While not great literature, this brief look at the author's relationship with Ginny and their raison d'etre is heartwarming and readers will soon become involved with them and their adopted cats, all of whom have distinct and winning personalities. Many YAs will think twice about cats, dogs, and handicaps after reading this book.?Susan H. Woodcock, King's Park Library, Burke, VA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Most dog memoirs recount fond childhood memories of canine companionship (Willie Morris's My Dog Skip, LJ 5/1/95) or the joys of dog ownership (George Pitcher's The Dogs Who Came To Stay, LJ 7/95). This true, heartwarming story is about a dog who gave her owner a new lease on life and taught him how to love again. Gonzalez, who had lost much interest in living after suffering a disabling accident, reluctantly agreed to adopt a badly abused dog, a mixture of Siberian husky and schnauzer. He recognized in Ginny the same vulnerability and hurt as in himself, yet he also saw hope and love. As the weeks passed, Ginny, with Gonzalez's help, made it her mission to rescue abandoned, mostly disabled cats. Ginny rescues Madam, who's totally deaf, and Revlon, who has only one eye. Betty Boop has no back legs, and Topsy has brain damage, but they too become part of the family. Although Gonzalez is the author of this story, it is Ginny who is the true heroine. It is her "radar of the heart" that makes this such a touching, sweet story. The photographs of Ginny, Gonzalez, and their family of cats are endearing and unforgettable. This moving tale will be welcomed by school and public libraries.
Eva Lautemann, DeKalb Coll. Lib., Clarkston, Ga.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Proof that some angels have tails
Philip Gonzalez, assisted by Leonore Fleischer, relates how an industrial accident left him unemployable and embittered - until his caring neighbor forced him into adopting a dog as a companion. Gonzalez, whose history of pet ownership was spotty and liberally sprinkled with tragedy, wanted a "big and macho" dog. Instead he found himself taking home a small Schnauzer/Siberian husky mix that he named Ginny. As Gonzalez's heart is softened by Ginny's affectionate nature, he discovers that his dog has a special gift - finding and caring for disabled and abused cats. Man and dog quickly become a team, rescuing and caring for the discarded and forgotten animals littering the neighborhood in which they live. I fell in love with Ginny myself while reading this inspiring book and highly recommend it to any animal loving reader.

Heart-warming but not maudlin: a winner!
The perfect book for anyone who loves both dogs and cats. As other readers have noted, the real story belongs to Philip Gonzalez, as we learn how one small dog can transform a human life.

Gonzalez, a war veteran, injured in an industrial accident, finds himself broke, isolated and bitter. He doesn't want to leave his apartment until a caring neighbor provides the best mental health remedy: "Get a dog. Now!"

Philip adopts Ginny and, sure enough, they heal each other. Never a cat person, Philip gets drawn to the feline species, literally, as Ginny sniffs out disabled cats and begs Philip to take them home. He now has a purpose in life and I am delighted to see the success of his books: he feeds dozens of cats and pays their vet bills, day after day.

Gonzalez shares his story in a matter-of-fact style, yet he's sensitive and caring. The street cats and dogs deserve a home, he says, just like Ginny. Meanwhile, he keeps them alive as best he can and shares the love by finding adopters whenever possible.

More than a companion animal
Ginny is an oxymoron: she's a dog who not only DOESN'T hate cats, but one who rescues and protects them.

Philip Gonzalez was injured in an industrial accident. His best friend, Sheilah, encouraged him to adopt a dog to pull him out of his depression. While Ginny wasn't love "at first sight," it was love within an hour.

Ginny not only forced Philip to care about life again, but she also opened his eyes to the plight of stray cats in his Long Island neighborhood. Ginny has a sixth sense when it comes to cats with a handicap or illness. Fighting her natural instinct to attack, she "talked" (barked?) Philip adopting many unfortunate cats.

There is almost no conflict, no climax, in this book; rather, it's a collection of anecdotes. It's a little sappy but, for a non-author, Philip tells a great story. I do hope its sales supplement his income. It is of note that Philip, Ginny, and Sheilah have caught many strays, gotten shots for the strays and had them neutered, and then re-released them -- out of pocket, even though this is a great service to their community.

I'd like to know what comes next (after the sequel "The Blessing of the Animals") -- is Ginny still alive, have either Sheilah or Philip found love interests (ahem!!!), and if, perhaps, Ginny has been able to train other dogs to do her work?

This is an enjoyable story, and contains the all-important lessons of life after accidents -- not only for Philip, but for many of the cats that he and Ginny have saved.