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Dog Who Rescues Cats
The true story of Ginny, an abused dog with an affinity for rescuing cats in trouble, describes Ginny's part in the saving of such handicapped felines as the one-eyed Revlon, deaf Madam, and the paralyzed Topsy. Simultaneous.
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First published January 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
October 8, 2020
My brother gave me this book for my birthday and I knew I would cherish it. Adopting super-heroine, Ginny, led Philip González to a partnership in saving the lives of thousands of cats in New York City. I couldn’t be gladder to know their stories! Education and encouragement are imperative. We think a large problem is insurmountable, do we not? “The Dog Who Rescues Cats: The True Story Of Ginny” came out in 1995 and I would love to have his second book as well. We have heard of animals liking and helping each other but I had never heard of natural intuition put to work like this. Philip did not know that animals communicate with telepathy, their first language. He got a firsthand glimpse of things Ginny couldn’t have detected any other way.
Ginny’s gift for sensing the whereabouts of kitties who were injured or handicapped, the neediest, moved me strongly. So did Philip’s refusal to set a limit on helping. I only thought it silly to decline monetary assistance. I seldom see compassion that stretches to the extent of mine and loved him the more for it. I will not leave a rodent or insect to perish. Philip got his construction crew to move a large pile of supplies, when he discovered it separated baby rats from their Mother. Incredulity did not faze him.
Helping can be as simple as inquiring about an unknown visitor. Our cat, missing for three years, was likely delayed for months; each time people assumed he lived in their region. An ear tattoo will connect him with us, when people look at it! Ask any vet to match digits to the office that has the phone numbers. This book uplifted me with love and happy endings, at a time when I need comforting.
Ginny’s gift for sensing the whereabouts of kitties who were injured or handicapped, the neediest, moved me strongly. So did Philip’s refusal to set a limit on helping. I only thought it silly to decline monetary assistance. I seldom see compassion that stretches to the extent of mine and loved him the more for it. I will not leave a rodent or insect to perish. Philip got his construction crew to move a large pile of supplies, when he discovered it separated baby rats from their Mother. Incredulity did not faze him.
Helping can be as simple as inquiring about an unknown visitor. Our cat, missing for three years, was likely delayed for months; each time people assumed he lived in their region. An ear tattoo will connect him with us, when people look at it! Ask any vet to match digits to the office that has the phone numbers. This book uplifted me with love and happy endings, at a time when I need comforting.
November 13, 2020
A lovely book that chronicles the life of a vet injured and disabled in a construction accident. He goes in to a deep depression until a friend insists he adopt a dog. From then on, nothing is as expected. The dog's name is Ginny and she is a lifeline to him and to street cats, abandoned and abused and mostly handicapped. There are sad moments (as in all animal books), but the story is mostly inspiring and hopeful. It is a true story. There is a follow up volume titled "Blessings of the Animals" by same authors. I intend to look for it.
If you are a dog or cat lover, if you feel strays and disabled animals get a bad rap, or are just looking for a light quick read, look at this book.
If you are a dog or cat lover, if you feel strays and disabled animals get a bad rap, or are just looking for a light quick read, look at this book.
December 1, 2009
I guarantee you will fall in love with this kind-hearted little dog who helped those in need. Highly recommended; quick read.
November 29, 2018
I remember hearing about Ginny years ago, and this little book remains a treasure. Ginny is a “Heinz-57” doggie who possesses a motherly love for cats—and a sixth sense for sniffing out felines who are disabled or in danger. She and her caretaker, Philip Gonzalez, roam the vacant lots and forgotten alleys of Long Island on the lookout for stray cats and kittens who need their help.
Ginny’s love helped Gonzalez through tough times caused by a workplace injury and opened his heart and mind to greater attention to, and compassion toward, animals in the process. The small dog was never trained to seek out cats—this remarkable behavior is one she displayed from her earliest days with the author.
One would have to have a heart of stone to not be touched by this book. I don’t see how anyone could not see animals as having emotions and personalities after meeting Ginny and her various feline friends. Yes, they matter.
The only aspect of THE DOG WHO RESCUES CATS I did not like was the references to the elderly woman who kept 140 cats as being selfless and heroic. This many cats would be a challenge for a fully staffed animal shelter, let alone a single person. No one person can keep animals in triple-digit numbers humanely and safely; hoarding is tragic, not noble.
Ginny’s love helped Gonzalez through tough times caused by a workplace injury and opened his heart and mind to greater attention to, and compassion toward, animals in the process. The small dog was never trained to seek out cats—this remarkable behavior is one she displayed from her earliest days with the author.
One would have to have a heart of stone to not be touched by this book. I don’t see how anyone could not see animals as having emotions and personalities after meeting Ginny and her various feline friends. Yes, they matter.
The only aspect of THE DOG WHO RESCUES CATS I did not like was the references to the elderly woman who kept 140 cats as being selfless and heroic. This many cats would be a challenge for a fully staffed animal shelter, let alone a single person. No one person can keep animals in triple-digit numbers humanely and safely; hoarding is tragic, not noble.
April 14, 2009
Philip Gonzalez was wounded in Vietnam. He fell into a state of depression, but took the advice of friends and adopted a dog. His dog, a scruffy little female, began to alert him to the plight of cats who were disabled or in danger. Together they have rescued many cats. This is a heartwarming tale of love and compassion.
April 4, 2018
A great story of redemption by a disabled man and his special dog. Philip had served in VietNam, came back and was able to get a good job in steamfitting. Then an accident left him disabled (80% loss of left arm use) and he was depressed.... a friend convinced him to get a dog - ends up with a dog that finds cats and especially cats that have handicaps or are injured. Philip and Ginny, and the friend Sheilah end up being rescuers of animals, especially cats. 1990's.
(Ginny the dog - does not end up dying in this book - all around cheery book!!
(Ginny the dog - does not end up dying in this book - all around cheery book!!
January 7, 2013
What an inspiring book! I loved Ginny, and I loved Philip's transformation because of this beautiful little dog. I was instantly drawn in by the introduction by Cleveland Amory, and author I've enjoyed reading in the past. Ginny's enchanting little face stares up at you from the cover, and it's not hard to see why Philip loved this dog. If you love animals without discrimination, then you will love this book. I know I sure did! Going straight into my favorite books of all time :)
August 19, 2008
This book is unforgettable. I don't really like dogs but I do like cats and what this Brooklyn dog was able to do for cats in trouble is amazing and claimed to be true. My aunt in Brooklyn told me to read this many years ago.
January 6, 2010
How I loved this story! Read it with the whole family. Made us laugh, made us cry. Anyone who loves animals would love this book. Beautiful stories about overcoming adversity for both humans and animals.
November 26, 2020
I just remembered this book that I read as a kid. Honestly one of the most heartwarming things you will ever read. If you're looking for a sweet story as the cold sets in, I recommend this one!!
April 27, 2019
Lutunen kirja ja kevyempi aiheeltaan kuin Happotesti. Tämän luki todella mielellään koska olen itsekin eläinten ystävä. Täytyy ihailla Phillipin omistautuneisuutta eläinten asialle. Rahan ottaminen vastaan olisi ollut toki kohtuullista mutta kaikki ei sitä hoksaa tai halua tehdä. Luettu on :)
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September 22, 2017Lapsuuden nostalgioita. Joskus ala-asteella koulun kirjastosta lainasin ja luin.
July 1, 2017
This was one book that my sister mentioned to me that she was going to get then changed her mind for something else. I had heard a similar story on Animal Planet but it wasn't the same dog so I was really excited and interested to have this book so when my sister offered to get me a book I asked her to purchase this one as she had previously planned.
This book has met a lot of my expectations while it was really sweet. The black and white pictures showed this wasn't just a dog who barked the talk but also walked the walk while it was one of those "ahhh" books. You were able to follow along as this special dog changed not only kitty-cat lives but the lives of the humans that she emet
The few complaints that I have are: 1. the book wasn't in chronological order for he would be talking about something in one page and then the second page he would go back before the previous incident had happened. 2., and my main disappointment, was Philip didn't have labels on his pictures nor were some of the stories on the cats quite descriptive so you never knew which cat Ginny was hanging with while it would have been nice to have added a face to that picture.
Otherwise if you are an animal-lover, an animal activist or someone who needs to read something about the power of souls in animals and/or people I would highly recommend this book.
This book has met a lot of my expectations while it was really sweet. The black and white pictures showed this wasn't just a dog who barked the talk but also walked the walk while it was one of those "ahhh" books. You were able to follow along as this special dog changed not only kitty-cat lives but the lives of the humans that she emet
The few complaints that I have are: 1. the book wasn't in chronological order for he would be talking about something in one page and then the second page he would go back before the previous incident had happened. 2., and my main disappointment, was Philip didn't have labels on his pictures nor were some of the stories on the cats quite descriptive so you never knew which cat Ginny was hanging with while it would have been nice to have added a face to that picture.
Otherwise if you are an animal-lover, an animal activist or someone who needs to read something about the power of souls in animals and/or people I would highly recommend this book.
August 2, 2020
An old favorite. There's something very modern-classic about this book, and I think it's the fact that it's neatly compact and doesn't pad the word count with tangents about the author's life. The author is incredibly likable, a hardworking blue collar man who ends up devoting himself to cat rescue when he's no longer able to work, but he avoids being the focus unless he's talking about what he's doing for animals.
Ginny is an undeniably weird-looking little mutt, but her adoration of cats, especially handicapped cats, and the way she makes a special pleading whine when she finds one she wants to keep is unforgettable. I think she's the very definition of an angel dog. The book is chock full of stories of her finding stray cats in trouble, often being very stubborn about not leaving until they've been helped (preferably brought home with her). There are plenty of stories about the cats themselves, too, since he ended up keeping an extraordinary number of them.
Ginny is an undeniably weird-looking little mutt, but her adoration of cats, especially handicapped cats, and the way she makes a special pleading whine when she finds one she wants to keep is unforgettable. I think she's the very definition of an angel dog. The book is chock full of stories of her finding stray cats in trouble, often being very stubborn about not leaving until they've been helped (preferably brought home with her). There are plenty of stories about the cats themselves, too, since he ended up keeping an extraordinary number of them.
February 11, 2013
A heartwarming true story of a man injured in an industrial accident who adopts a dog and together they go on to save many cats, many of which are disabled. This was an enjoyable uplifting story that I couldn't put down (as I knew it would be since I read the second book already.) I One thing that bothered me...a lady that the author fed strays with. She had 120 cats...can anyone say animal hoarder?
November 27, 2007
Ginny not only saved cats, she saved Philip Gonzalez. His story is as interesting as hers, and how she found cats to save over the course of her lovely life (she passed away just recently) is fascinating to contemplate.
March 26, 2009
I read this book long ago. It was recommended by a friend of mine. I love animals and thus, I land up reading many books like these. This is a true story of a Army man and his dog. It's fascinating and heart warming as well. Please do read this book.
September 28, 2008
What a dog, and what a story. Ginny was one of a kind. I loved this book.
May 3, 2009
I read this in one sitting, which I rarely do. It was so good and so sweet. I wish I could meet Ginny and Philip. :)
September 5, 2009
If you love animals especially cats and dogs, you will find this a page turner. Just too awesome that a dog loves kitties that much. very cool.
December 7, 2023
THE DOG LIVES AT THE END!!!
This book made me smile, say AWWWW, and cry. I love Ginny so much! If you love dogs and/or cats and want to read something that will really warm your heart (and where the dog lives at the end) you MUST read or listen to this book. You will fall in love with Ginny too. And come on, do Philip and Sheila fall in love with each other??? I don't know. I love them both enough for both of them.
This book made me smile, say AWWWW, and cry. I love Ginny so much! If you love dogs and/or cats and want to read something that will really warm your heart (and where the dog lives at the end) you MUST read or listen to this book. You will fall in love with Ginny too. And come on, do Philip and Sheila fall in love with each other??? I don't know. I love them both enough for both of them.
July 24, 2024
Great book of stray cats being rescued by Ginny the dog and her owner Philip ❤️. Loved it.
May 11, 2023
The tale of Ginny is a remarkable one and worth enduring the horror stories contained in it to read the heartwarming anecdotes of her life of rescuing cats. (There is more good than bad to read about.)
June 10, 2018
A good friend of mine gave me this book for Christmas but unfortunately I had some stressful and unhappy times going on in my life when I received it so I didn't get to read it until now. It is a wonderful book about a man named Philip who suffers from a disability and his friend Sheilah who helped him get back into life through helping him find something that was beyond himself and his impairment. The "gift" was a mixed breed dog named Ginny and her special ability to know when someone needs help or gives comfort and support to a living being who she sensed needed it. Ginny was especially good at finding cats, concentrating on those who suffered from an injury or a disability. It was so amazing to read about how she instinctively knew where the cats were and soon Philip, who was not a cat lover, and Sheila, also not a cat lover were rescuing cats and bringing them home for Ginny who ended up whit quite a collection of pets and friends for Ginny and both became cat lovers, which is a good thing to be! When it got to be too many for them to take care of in the respective homes, they recused them and took them to the animal shelter or vet's office or fed all they could. on site. All the cats they brought home they had spayed or neutered but with some cats who were uncatchable, this was impossible and Philip began recognizing the grand kittens of some of the cats they had rescued who were born to the "outdoor" cats. Philip's whole life and a lot of his worker's compensation income were devoted to this labor of love. I am a cat lover, have been since i was an toddler, and I so admire Philip and Sheilah and others they met for doing this work. I am not a dog person but I love Ginny too. She must have been around cats somewhere in her life and became aware of those who were hurting or damaged in some way and decided to make it her mission to recuse all the cats. Very cool dog! I laughed in recognition of the funny cat behaviors I know form my own kitty cats, cried at the sadness of their pain, fear and vulnerability on the street and was angry at the cruelty of some people who often hurt these beautiful creatures from their fear or self loathing. that makes them lash out at the innocent. I truly loved this book and recommend it to anyone who loves cats or dogs. The book is only 160 pages so an easy read and I recommend it to younger people who have a love of animals. There is a follow up book called THE BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS that continues Ginny's rescue efforts and I am definitively going to read that!
February 14, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this book. The basic story is a good one. Man gets injured, man rescues dog who in turn essentially rescues him, dog rescues cats. The dog sounds wonderful and the people in her life were able to not only open their hearts to this homeless dog, but were able to also open their hearts (and homes) to many homeless, needy cats. The drawback to this book is that it was written mostly by the author (as opposed to huge input from his coauthor) and he is not a writer. I hate to say that having the book so reflect his voice is a bad thing, but it really detracted from the story for me. It was repetitive in spots and toward the end, I just wanted it to be over with. Not such a good trait in a book. I do know people who absolutely loved this book so it may just be me... or the mood I was in while reading it? I do think it's worth picking up, but I won't be tempted to keep this one.
July 8, 2019
A wonderful little book well worth reading if you are a dog lover, a cat lover or one who believes in miracles. This is the true story of Ginny a dog who has a special nature to find and rescue injured sick, or needy cats and the special contingent of helpers who assist him! Thankfully his person Philip also finds himself rescued by Ginny and takes up the task of supporting Ginny!
January 24, 2009
Philip and Ginny are just amazing! The book is a quick and easy read. However, it is still filled with inspiration, joy, sadness, and hopefulness. I recommend all animal lovers to read this book. Animals really can change people's lives!!
March 4, 2008
This is a must read for all animal lovers. It's not a literary masterpiece, but carries a wonderful message.
March 2, 2009
I really liked this book. Shows that even cats and dogs, two animals who have been enemies for a long, long time, can still get along.
March 15, 2010
THIS WAS A WONDERFUL BOOK!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews