|
| |
Our year of rehoming
orphan dogs
Author: Barrie Hawkins
Reviewed by Lindy Margach
 Description:
Barrie Hawkins reviews a year
of rescuing dogs in a series of heart-warming and often hilarious tales.
 Table
of Contents:
-
Squashing the Daisies
-
In the Beginning
-
A Special Day
-
Food, Glorious Food
-
A Quick Start
-
Healthy Exercise
-
Doubt
-
Helping with Enquiries
-
Goodbye
-
Squashing My Foot
-
A Friend
-
People
-
Death Row
|
-
On My Trail
-
Different People
-
Legal Complications
-
And On the Seventh Day
-
Unexpected
-
Sixth Sense
-
Hard
-
The Christmas Present
-
A Perfect Match
-
Happy Anniversary
-
Postscript
-
Author's Note
|
Best
features: I
thought I would enjoy it from the moment I saw the title. I didn't realise just how much I
would do so. It's a shame to use a cliché – but I genuinely could not put it down.
From the opening moments,
when Barrie is asked to take on the task of finding a new home for a gigantic 'lion-maned' dog
which has just left its life as the guard dog at a car-breaker's yard to the new bonds formed
for Millie, the world's smallest German shepherd, the book captures your heart, makes you laugh
and cry in turn as you hurry to turn the pages.
The genuine love and care for dogs that shines through every
page is captured in the very last paragraph and, as it doesn't give away the story, I
reproduce it here:
'In
setting out to do our work our original concern was to help the homeless dog. We have come to
realise that in giving some of our time and effort to help these animals we are also doing
something for the benefit of human beings. A dog can bring to a responsible keeper
companionship, an incentive to healthy exercise, enjoyment and laughter. They enrich the
lives of many people.'
Barrie and Dorothy have now set up a registered charity to
help them continue their work See
www.gsdhomefinders.org.uk.
Could be better:
Sadly, there are no
photographs of the wonderful dogs described – but then perhaps that would actually prevent the
reader's imagination from taking flight as the narrative rolls on.
Design & format:
Paperback. Dimensions: 129 x
198mm. Number of pages: 320
Overall rating:
10/10
This book is wise, funny, tear-jerking and thought-provoking. It should appeal to every
dog lover.
Price:
£7.99.
Published by Summersdale Publishers, Chichester, West Sussex and available from them on
www.summersdale.com or
through most internet booksellers.
Value for money:
If you're looking for THE book to take to Dogs In Need, or
any other holiday this summer, then this one is for you.
 About
the Reviewer...
Lindy Margach
works as a freelance journalist and PR consultant from home
in Wallington, Surrey, and enjoys agility and obedience training with her family of Labradors.
This has just been augmented with the arrival of Hobi – an 8-month-old yellow Labrador who was
the subject of a private re-home and is now settling down with Shannon, Bracken and Ree.
If you would like to comment on this product or
add your name to the Agilitynet list of reviewers,
email your name and details to Ellen Rocco at
Agilitynet today.
First published 10 August 2009
|
