Born Without a Tail

by Cayr Ariel Wulff

When your home has a revolving door for abused and abandoned animals, keeping pets takes on a whole new dimension! Sometimes hilarious, sometimes heart-rending, Born Without a Tail chronicles the true-life adventures of two animal rescuers living with an ever-changing house full of pets. The author takes us on a journey from childhood through adulthood, sharing tales, (mis)adventures and insights garnered from a lifetime of encounters with a menagerie of twenty remarkable animals.

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction, Memoir, Dogs

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2007

About the author

Cayr Ariel Wulff is a native Ohioan. She is an artist, author and animal advocate, with a graphic design background. She worked in the comic book field as an inker and letterer before authoring three books: Born Without a Tail , and Circling the Waggins: How 5 Misfit Dogs Saved Me From Bewilderness both memoirs of her years in companion animal rescue, and How to Change the World in 30 Seconds: A Web Warrior's Guide to Animal Advocacy Online . Wulff authors a blog about dogs entitled Up On The Woof,[at http://thewoof.wordpress.com ]. Currently, she resides in a log cabin deep in one of our Nation's National Forests with her lifemate and five dogs. She attributes her love of animals to having been raised by Wulffs.

Reviews

[Aimee Kudrna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just an easy was about a household with animals. Mine has many more critters but it was a nice light read.

[Kathy Govreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book and the other two she has written about her "pack."

[Tamira Thayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Cayr's writing, in this book she tells a lot of her adventures with animals growing up. I love how she walks Jack, an old lab who spent a lot of time in an outside kennel, every day, giving him someone who really cared and spent time with him. Cayr is funny, empathetic, and loving in her interactions with animals. You can see her kind soul shining through in all her writing. I recommend her books.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally, if a cat or dog dies in a book or movie, I avoid it. I have enough heartbreak with my real-life pets, I say.

Not so with C.A. Wulff's Born Without A Tail. Wulff tells the story of her real pets and their real lives and deaths for a real reason—to remember her special dog, Dillon (who is still alive in the afterword!), and to introduce readers to the realities of life as a pet rescuer. I was more than happy to laugh and cry with Wulff and her partner, Dalene, as they learn of dogs and cats they can’t turn away, visit an animal communicator for eerily accurate readings on each animal, and hunker down to keep their multi-species family together through life’s many bumps and turns. I finished Born Without A Tail in two evenings, and I’m sure it will be a rereading favorite for years to come.

Truthfully, though I value animals highly, I don’t think I have half the courage that C.A. Wulff does. While I isolate myself from the problems that so many pets are facing in order to protect myself, she faces them head-on, and is determined to make a difference in the world. “Animal Advocate” isn’t just a label she slaps on, but a lifestyle she leads.

Aside from that, though, Born Without A Tail is a sincerely funny and heartfelt tale of Wulff’s pack. Wait until you read about how Gypsy helped herd the family cats, how Dillon made his objections clear when his small stature was discussed with a stranger, or how Troll preferred his takeout hamburgers—you’d be barking mad to pass up this book!

[Cynthia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am sincerely mixed on my reactions to this book. I have an absolute admiration for any author that is willing to set forth memoirs on paper. I have an even greater level of admiration for anyone willing to self-publish. It's one thing to write it all down - it's another to back it with your own money. So while admiring the writer...

I found the book itself to be lacking in depth. An avid animal lover myself, I wanted to care about the menagerie presented before I opened the cover. However, it was difficult to be drawn in due to the style. Rather than a quick story about each animal based on the writer's timeline, I would rather have known more about each of a limited number of animals and their impact on the author. Saved something for a sequel.

In the current style, the writing feels rushed and many of the stories come to too quick an end. The time-line is a bit confusing. The reader can't invest emotionally into the work or truly see the elements of personality that the writer is wanting to be understood.

This might be a good recommendation for a mid-teen or young reader interested in animals, but an advanced reader might struggle with becoming adequately engaged.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldnt put this book down and stayed up well into the night to finish it. Then when I climbed into bed with my own two rescued dogs, I remembered the passage where the author describes about when her "pack" is all settled in for the night, one dog gives out a deep collective "sigh" to signify the end of another wonderful day spent together. My Wookie does that every night and makes me smile. In BORN WITHOUT A TAIL Ms. Wulff shares the stories of many of the orphans and strays who have blessed her life these past few decades and how each of them has their own little personality and quirks. If you have pets, you will definitely be able to relate and this book will tug at your heart. Dillon so reminds me of my old dog Sam who didnt live long enough, but touched my heart in a way no other dog ever will. I believe every dog owner has that "one" in their life, although they go on to adopt many others. I know Dillon and Sam run together, young and pain free, across the Bridge and wait for us there.

[Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born Without a Tail touched me in so many ways, making me smile at the obvious care and affection shown by the author for her numerous pets. Some of the stories, such as finding out about Troll's past or the passing of a beloved pet, made my heart go out to both the animal and Cayr and Dalene. The obvious love and affection that went into writing this book made me wish even more that I have a pet of my own. Overall, this book is a must-read for animal lovers everywhere. I loved reading it, and had to laugh a few times at the antics of the animals whose tales were related in Born Without a Tail. Cayr Ariel Wulff just reinforces my opinion that pets aren't just animals, but rather furry family members that you can't live without. I'd definitely read it again, as it is such a heart-warming book that goes to show the difference a furry family member can make in a person's life.

[Kerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

A smattering of stories from an animal lover about the pets that have enhanced her life. The straight forward accounts demonstrates the sacrifices some people are willing to make for their pets. I had hoped for more continuity through the various chapters. Some of the accounts seem a little disjointed and I found the tone to be rather judgemental at points.

The profits from the book go to a worthy animal shelter!

[Robert]

This book took me into another world. I am a dog lover and dog author of children's books. I know dogs and consider them to be wonderful. However, I had no idea, until I read this book, of the extraordinary world of living with multiple dogs, dogs who needed a home, dogs who had been abandoned, and how they lived together in a home filled with personalities, surprises, loyalty and love...and how rewarding this could be. Reading this book is a joyous, fascinating and touching experience.

[Pamela Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book about the journey the author has had with the animals she has loved since childhood, and her involvement in rescuing animals. A bonus is that some proceedes from this book go to help in those rescues. Read it on Kindle.

[Marcel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding book! Interesting to compare wullf's philosophy and practices with those of Cesar Millan.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

a book of memories about a couple's domestic dog and cat adventures! Yes, I loved it.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are an animal lover and have ever shared your life with an animal, you will enjoy this book. It is a loving tribute to all the author's animal companions. The stories are well written and often moving. I especially enjoyed the recollections of the author's childhood and the powerful image of a child wishing (and pretending) that she had a tail.

Each chapter focuses on one animal in chronological order of when the animal joined the author's life. I sometime found the time line to be a bit confusing as various animals lives overlapped. The book also left me wanting more, specifically more of the personal of the author. The animals take center stage, and although she interacts with the animals, the author is often very much in the background.

I do hope that Cayr Ariel Wulff writes more about her experiences. Will she get to live with that wolfish dog? Will Dalene get her dream of a Great Dane? I hope so. If not, I'm sure that whatever animals come in their place will bring their own wonderful stories.

[McGuffy Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

For much of her life, C. A. Wulff was involved in animal rescue. In this memoir, she shares her own personal rescue stories. As is the case with animal rescue, some of these tales are funny and others are poignant. However, all of them are true.

From early childhood, Cayr was drawn to animals. She sought connections with each animal that entered her life. She helped those that she could, including ill, injured and difficult to place animals. Many of them found a permanent place in the author’s home. Her heart has always been in the right place.

At this point in her life, the author spends much of her time in advocacy. In addition to her animal books, C.A. Wulff writes for the National Animal Books Examiner, Cleveland Pets Examiner, and her own blog “Up on the Woof”. She also is an artist, utilizing her “yelodoggie” art to share her love of dogs.