Book Review: The Dog Who Rescues Cats By Lorianna on Nov 05, 2007 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

The Dog Who Rescues Cats by Philip Gonzalez and Leonore Fleischer tells one remarkable true story. Philip Gonzalez, the author, was suffering from depression after an accident at work had left him with a permanent disability. A friend has advised him to adopt a dog. Reluctant at first, Philip went to an animal shelter and saw Ginny, a small mix-breed doggie who had just undergone surgery. Something clicked; Philip felt close to this dog who was in pain, just like himself. He took Ginny home.

It was not long before he had discovered Ginny's unique quality: not only she loved cats, she wanted to help those of them who were in pain or in trouble, drawing Philip's attention to injured strays. Philip, who was not much of a cat person before, learned to care for them as well. He and Ginny became a rescue team, finding and picking up cats that needed help. Philip would then take them to the vet, and later on, when the cat was treated and cured, try to find them a home. This was not just a case or two; Philip and Ginny have saved many dozens.

This book is a must read for any animal lover, although not an easy read. It describes cases of animal abuse I just could not stomach. But I still think stories like that need to be told. Perhaps they will make more of us switch from passive "animal-loving" to actually doing something to help.