In the bestselling tradition of Rescuing Sprite comes the story of a puppy brought back from the brink of death, and the family he adopted.
In 2002, Larry Levin and his twin sons, Dan and Noah, took their terminally ill cat to the Ardmore Animal Hospital outside Philadelphia to have the beloved pet put to sleep. What would begin as a terrible day suddenly got brighter as the ugliest dog they had ever seen–one who was missing an ear and had half his face covered in scar tissue–ran up to them and captured their hearts. The dog had been used as bait for fighting dogs when he was just a few months old. He had been thrown in a cage and left to die until the police rescued him and the staff at Ardmore Animal Hospital saved his life. The Levins, whose sons are themselves adopted, were unable to resist Oogy’s charms, and decided to take him home.
Heartwarming and redemptive, OOGY is the story of the people who were determined to rescue this dog against all odds, and of the family who took him home, named him “Oogy” (an affectionate derivative of ugly), and made him one of their own.
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Sexual Content - 0/5
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Violence - 2/5
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Language - 0/5
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Drugs and Alcohol - 0/5
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Summary
Overall Oogy is the inspirational, heartwarming story of a dog with an unbreakable spirit and will to live who never lost his loving, gentle demeanor in spite of unconscionable abuse. Before beginning the book, I had no idea why Oogy was disfigured, only that he was adorable anyway. Although the author, Oogy's master, Larry Levin, doesn't know all the details on how Oogy was rescued and brought to the animal hospital where they met, nor exactly what happened to him before that, I think he's done a pretty good job of piecing together the information he did have to speculate, and the picture he has painted is positively horrifying. This poor puppy was used as bait for fighting dogs and left to die in a cage, but he was fortunately found by police who brought him to the only emergency animal hospital in the area. To think that anyone could do that to a poor, helpless animal is appalling. No one really thought Oogy would survive, much less go on to lead a happy, productive life, but he defied the odds
time and time again. If not for the kindhearted manager of the animal hospital, Oogy probably would have been put down, but she refused to give up on him and convinced the vet who was her business partner to try to save him. They and other kind, loving people became instrumental in giving Oogy the life he deserved. I think it's a real testament to Oogy's personality and determination that he lived at all, much less was so sweet and docile throughout his surgeries and recovery. He obviously had an extraordinary tolerancefor pain. During his early years with the Levins, Oogy had a penchant for mischief and destruction, but his family exhibited the patience of Job with him, understandably not wanting to cause him any more fear after everything he'd been through already. If Mr. Levin's words are any indication, I'd say that Oogy has brought the author and his family far more joy than heartache or frustration. Unforunately, poor Oogy had to go through several more surgeries. Some were for the purpose of reconstructing his damaged face, and all I can say is God bless Dr. Bianco, the veterinarian who performed these surgeries and all other routine medical care for Oogy free of charge for his lifetime. There were other surgeries for torn ACLs that Dr. Bianco couldn't perform and for which the Levins had to pay large fees. They also had to patiently go through the rehabilitative process with him, and again, all I can say is God bless the Levins for their dedication and willingness to invest all their time and money to give this poor misfortunate dog a good life. I think our pets often choose us, and that appears to be exactly what Oogy did. After reading the chapter Signs', it became even more apparent that Oogy was simply meant for the Levins. There is a chapter in the book about how Mr. Levin and his wife, Jennifer, came to adopt their twin sons, which I thought was very relevant. It shows what huge hearts these people have and how much family means to them. Oogy became a part of all that the minute he went home with them. The Levin house was brimming with love, kindness and patience which was exactly what Oogy needed. Larry Levin's love for Oogy is very apparent, and he definitely thinks of Oogy as far more than just a dog. This animal has become a constant friend and companion. I don't think Oogy could have asked for a better family to spend his life with. In the last chapter, Mr. Levin mentioned trying to get Oogy certified to be a therapy dog, and I think he'd be great at it. I wish they had a website to keep readers updated, but I couldn't find any info as to whether, Oogy successfully completed this training. It does appear though, that Mr. Levin and Oogy have made several appearances at fundraising benefits and are helping to raise awareness of dog fighting which is an equally admirable mission. Oogy is a gentle story about what it truly means to be a family, and other than some moderately disturbing details of Oogy's condition when he was rescued and what dog fighting is like, there is noobjectionable content. It's a nice, easy read that would be appropriate for middle grades and up as long as they wouldn't be overly bothered by the things I mentioned. Oogy, both the book and the dog, are a real inspiration. As Mr. Levin says, if Oogy could survive all he went through with his sweet, gentle, loving disposition intact, so can others. This wonderful dog can be a great object lesson to educate and uplift all of us, but particularly those who may be suffering through a
physical disfigurement or other obstacle of their own or who are trying to come to terms with abuse. This book warmed me through and through, and I highly recommend it to
anyone who enjoys animal stories. Review provided by The Hope Chest Reviews (http://www.thcreviews.com)
Violence Moderate descriptions of the condition Oogy was in when he was rescued and what dog fighting is like that could be bothersome to younger and sensitive readers.