Tales from a Dog Catcher

By Lisa Duffy-Korpics and Tiffany Clarke Harrison

Book Overview

The Cold War had recently drawn to a close, and Lisa Duffy-Korpics's career as a dogcatcher would soon be history, too, but for very different reasons--and, indeed, with infinitely more pleasant memories. In Tales from a Dog Catcher, she brings together these experiences in a magical book that is funny, touching, and heartrending by turns.

Set in a small, Hudson River town north of New York City, this book comprises twenty-two real-life stories about people and their experiences with animals, stories that both entertain and charm, and feature all creatures great and small--from plenty of dogs and cats and "peeping Tom" raccoons, to a duck and a turkey and an (imagined) mountain lion. Animal lovers of all kinds can read how:

- A decades-long feud between two longtime enemies who use each other's dogs to hurt each other culminates in a dramatic courtroom battle where they unwittingly end up helping each other.

- A call on an elderly woman to surrender twenty-three cats provokes a surprising revelation.

- A language and culture barrier yields a situation where a woman ends up watering her cats like plants. All ends well, save for some damp kittens, but the laughter continues for miles.

- The police chief forces the animal control officer (ACO) into a presentation at the local high school--for students with behavioral problems. After a few awkward moments, the ACO finds herself at ease. Drawn to these engaging teenagers, she realizes that sometimes what you are meant to do in life is not always something that you choose. Sometimes it chooses you.

In the tradition of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small and John Grogan's Marley & Me, Lisa Duffy-Korpics's Tales from a Dog Catcher is an unforgettable look at the lives of everyday people (and animals) who, whether by accident or design, come into contact with the sad, comical, and often profound world of an animal control officer.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1599214989
• ISBN13: 9781599214986
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Lyons Press
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Lovely book!

This is a wonderful book. I had a hard time putting it down. I was laughing and tearing up, sometimes at the same time! I didn't want it to end...

Tales from a Dog Catcher

This book captured my heart from the first page! Each story was unique and charged with such a variety of emotions that I found myself crying one minute and laughing out loud the next. The reader not only gets a first hand account of the author's fascinating life as an animal control officer but a look into her heart and soul as well. This wonderful book is a must read for all ages and should be on the recommended reading list for all schools.

This book deserves to be saved!

A wonderful book that, alas, will probably be as lost and forgotten as some of the stray animals Lisa rounds up. This book is far better written (and infinitely more entertaining) than some books I've reviewed from major New York publishers. Lisa knows how to tell a story. Each chapter shares an episode from her four years as an Animal Control Officer, working her way through college in a small town on the Hudson. Having visited friends in Peekskill any years ago, I found myself remembering the cold winters and hilly town. I even wondered if Lisa worked in Peekskill, disguising the name. Lisa shares the good, the bad and the evil. Sometimes she gets to save an animal's life. Sometimes she gets in bizarre situations (like the woman who thought "feed and water the kittens" meant "throw water on them"). And she meets people who are so evil it's breathtaking. Even the upbeat ending fit the story. Lisa's a natural. She describes filling in as a school crossing guard, having the kids skip across the street. She's a natural with kids and she must be a pretty amazing person. I just wish someone could rescue this book from obscurity and put it front and center at all the bookstores.

Tales from a Dog Catcher

Lisa Duffy-Korpics has written a wonderful book. Twenty-two short stories that chronicle the author's time as a animal control officer in a small city draws you in! Very touching, funny and endearing! I love the book!

Great mix

This book is a great mix of inspiration, humor, and animal antics. It has universal appeal and is an easy read for all audiences.