The Man Who Talks to Dogs

Long story short, I loved reading The Man Who Talks to Dogs by Melinda Roth.  I thought it would be sappy, or sad, or sort of treacle-y (the word Nancy and I use when something seems emotionally manipulative), but it ended up just being a wonderful and informative read about an every-day guy who does the best he can to make a difference.  There’s a lot of information about feral dogs here, including information on pack relationships and relationships with people, but I think I was most fascinated by the the relationship between feral dog populations and the local economy.  Basically, the worse the economy, the more prevalent stray dogs, yet it happens for so many complicated reasons.  I’m using the words “feral” and “stray” interchangeably here but that’s really inaccurate, and the book explains why.  I loved reading about the individual stray dogs, most of whom were saved but some of whom didn’t make it, and I loved getting to know Randy Grim, the very human, very fallible “hero”.  Grim is an unlikely hero, suffering from social anxiety disorder, and really, any anxiety disorder you can name, as well as having issues with self-confidence and a variety of phobias.  He takes pills and chain smokes, and while the dogs help him to become “stronger”, he doesn’t have some artificial epiphany where he’s cured of all his woes.  At the end of the book he’s still a nervous man who’s uncomfortable with the media, who worries he looks fat, and who prefers animals to people.  I love him, though… I love him for putting to words to what I’ve always felt, that someone needs to do something to help the animals, so it might as well be him.  I love his sense of responsibility, because I’ve always felt it too.  Grim sticks to his values and gives of himself because he thinks it’s the right thing to do, and he makes a difference.  At first, just a small difference, but now a big difference with his charity, Stray Rescue of St. Louis.  I’m looking forward to reading his new book, Miracle Dog, even though I could have lived without the knowledge that dogs in many areas of the country are euthanized in gas chambers.  Holy crap, people—what the hell’s the problem?  Let’s spend a little less money lining the pockets of Halliburton, and at least give unwanted animals a calm, peaceful death (as goodness knows it would be such a burden on the country to keep them alive, or worse, for people to spay & neuter so there weren’t so many animals in shelters in the first place).  Anyway, thanks for being such a cool guy, Randy Grim—I raise a Xanax in your honour smile

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 06/28 at 10:38 PM

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

  1. I am definitely going to have to pick this book up.  It sounds like there is a lot to learn from it.  I am particularly interested in pack relationships and can relate to that feeling of responsibility.

    I can not believe gas chambers are being used to euthanize animals.  That is horrible.  I really do not understand why more people don’t spay or neuter their pets.  It is such a simple solution to such a devestating problem.

    Posted by Expat  on  06/30  at  09:02 AM

  2. The gas chambers weren’t the worst of it… some communities apparently still take dogs “out behind the building” and shoot them!  There’s one place in Utah which euthanizes by gas chamber, but the “chamber” is a sealed room and the “gas” is from the exhaust pipe of a pickup truck that’s backed up to a hole in the wall!

    The book is such a great example of how one person can make a difference, even a small one, and I do think a lot can be learned from it.

    Posted by Mudpuppy  on  06/30  at  10:26 AM

  3. Oh my gosh!  That just sickens me.  I don’t understand how that is allowable at all!  It can’t possibly cost that much to put dogs and cats down humanely can it?  Wouldn’t gassing animals like that be considered cruel no matter who is doing it?  That is just absolutely unbelievable.

    Our local humane society is no kill (which makes me VERY happy).  My husband and I volunteer there by taking the dogs out for walks and playing fetch with them.  We help out with the cats and the laundry as well.  It is the nicest facility that I have ever been in.  It seriously makes the kennels and pet spas in town look bad.

    Posted by Expat  on  06/30  at  10:36 AM

  4. Gassing is supposedly “humane”, although I think that would only be true if the animals were sedated first (and they aren’t always).  The problem with euthanization by injection is that the meds are “controlled”, so you need to have a license to administer them.  Here in Nevada I discovered we actually have people who are licensed as “euthanasia technicians” after taking a special training course.

    Our animal shelter is supposed to be no-kill, or they’re trying to be no-kill, or something, but they’re mostly a big bureaucracy.  We also have a couple of privately-run no-kill shelters, “Heaven Can Wait” and the Nevada SPCA.  I’d love to volunteer, but all the shelters in town are very, very far away—about as far away from us as you can get.

    Posted by Mudpuppy  on  06/30  at  06:06 PM
    5. Page 1 of 1 pages

Name:

Email (required, but will not be made public):

Location:

URL:

Smileys

Remember my details for future comments?

Let me know about new replies to this topic?

What is the sum of 2 and 7?

Next entry: Hiss and Tell & Twisted Whiskers

Previous entry: 20 questions

<< Back to main