Book Review

Touching true story of Ginny an abandoned dog (part Siberian Husky-part Schnauzer) who brings redemption to the life of her owner Philip Gonzalez.

The author is a former Vietnam vet who has numerous brushes with death and finds himself alone with bouts of depression after an industrial accident.  Left with piercing headaches and only partial use from one arm, his neighbor Sheilah Harris recommends buying a dog – something, anything, to pull himself out of his misery.

At the animal shelter, he is encouraged to adopt Ginny, a mutt who has just given birth to three pups.  At first, Philip is not impressed.  On a trial walk-around-the-block, he looks at Ginny.  There is an instant connection.  He realizes this is the dog for him.

“RADAR OF THE HEART”

It doesn’t take long for Philip Gonzalez to discover that Ginny has a mind of her own.  She has a special knack for searching out and finding cats who are disabled, abused, or abandoned.  Gonzalez finds his life’s purpose, aided by his trusted companion dog.  He feeds hundreds of street cats.  Other cats he takes home, giving them a new lease on life. His menagerie of disabled cats includes:  Topsy, who is brain-damaged and can’t walk.  She gets around by rolling.  Betty Boop, with no hind feet.  She hops around like a rabbit.  Madame is deaf and Blondie has FIV.  The “Chairman” was found by Ginny in a box full of broken glass.

On Ginny’s and Philip’s quest for rescuing cats all is not well.  There are some cat-haters out there who try to kill or poison them.  One is in fact killed and Philip, one good arm or not, tried to beat the living daylights out of the coward.

Through a magazine article, the pair find celebrity, appearing on TV, leading to book publication and its follow-up “The Blessing of the Animals”.

The sequel. Ginny poses with Blondie.

This is recommended reading for those who care about those furry friends we share our planet with.

Text © 2022 – ERN