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The Man Who Talks to Dogs: The Story of Randy Grim and His Fight to Save America's Abandoned Dogs
Go to any unpopulated or abandoned area in any given urban setting, and you'll find them. Thousands and thousands of wild dogs-abandoned to disease, starvation, and inevitable death-are leading short and brutal lives in the no-man's-land between domestication and wildness, byproducts of the human destitution around them. A lucky few are saved by dedicated rescuers, and Randy Grim, has emerged as one of the country's leading dog saviors. After years of rescuing dogs on his own, he founded Stray Rescue of St. Louis, an organization dedicated to rescue and rehabilitation.
These are dogs that belong to no one, the ones animal-control experts can't catch and humane shelters won't deal with. They are stray or feral, either abandoned or born wild on the streets, which means they won't come near humans and statistically won't live past their second year. And their numbers are growing every day.
In The Man Who Talks to Dogs, journalist Melinda Roth narrates Grim's dramatic, inspiring efforts and tells the horrific and heartwarming stories of the dogs he saves, showing how this growing national health problem-controlled by no federal or local regulations-can no longer be ignored.
These are dogs that belong to no one, the ones animal-control experts can't catch and humane shelters won't deal with. They are stray or feral, either abandoned or born wild on the streets, which means they won't come near humans and statistically won't live past their second year. And their numbers are growing every day.
In The Man Who Talks to Dogs, journalist Melinda Roth narrates Grim's dramatic, inspiring efforts and tells the horrific and heartwarming stories of the dogs he saves, showing how this growing national health problem-controlled by no federal or local regulations-can no longer be ignored.
236 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2002
4 people are currently reading
229 people want to read
About the author
Melinda Roth
10 books5 followersAfter ditching the hard-charging life of a political press secretary, New York Times best-selling author Melinda Roth lives on a farm in northern Illinois where she is the accidental and reluctant caretaker of a menagerie of farm animals including one of America's wild mustangs.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 15, 2008
I had never found a way to put how I feel about animals until I read his book. He explained it for me. I now volunteer for Stray Rescue St. Louis.
September 27, 2022
Amazing, but tough book. I feel like Randy Grim is the mother Theresa for dogs. He works to rescue dogs from inner cities like St. Louis. He feeds dogs regularity for long periods of time to gain their trust. He takes them to vets to heal them of their heartworm, mange, injuries. Then he feeds them and socializes them and finds homes for them. His actions grew to a big organization to help dogs in need. Wow.
He says he can hear them... hear them talking to me. And they say, 'Don't leave me here.'
Here some passages from the book that are good samples:
He was a well-educated, successful, thirty-five-year-old business owner who was sardonic, easily stressed, and disillusioned with the human race. He didn’t like children and he made fun of old people. His laundry list of phobias included drinking tap water, walking through grocery stores, and driving on highways. He smoked too much and suffered incapacitating panic attacks. Yet as founder of Stray Rescue in St. Louis, he spent his days chasing wild, injured, diseased dogs that no one else would touch.
When she looked up into his eyes, Randy saw the look he’d seen before in hundreds of dogs when they realized that being wild was over, when they realized they couldn’t hunt, couldn’t fight disease, couldn’t depend on the pack. It was a look that said they were tired, a look that said they had no choices anymore. On Sunshine, who had probably watched her pups die slowly one by one, probably licked them and nudged them and savored their warmth of their bodies until the awful moment of cold clarity hit her, it was a look that said, I give up.
“It still shocks me sometimes that other people don’t feel the way I do about the dogs,” he said, “When I first started doing this, I was surprised that other people didn’t hear the dogs talking to them, you know? They tell you when they’re hungry, when they’re sad, when they’re happy. I mean, they’re just like us; they’re living, breathing beings who search for happiness just like we do. They want comfort. They want a nice place to sleep, good food, and treats. They want to be loved and wanted.”
But you know, I’ve realized that people choose not to hear them. People are selfish and don’t want to see suffering. I mean, it’s easier just to get rid of them, not to feed them, to kick them when they get in the way. Then it doesn’t hurt to look at them, to hear them beg for help.”
Tough book to read. Tough to think of God's 4 footed angels starving, sick and dying with no one to care for them accept other dogs in their pack who are in the same boat. But great to hear of someone dedicated to save them and to hear of the success stories. Glad to have read the book.
He says he can hear them... hear them talking to me. And they say, 'Don't leave me here.'
Here some passages from the book that are good samples:
He was a well-educated, successful, thirty-five-year-old business owner who was sardonic, easily stressed, and disillusioned with the human race. He didn’t like children and he made fun of old people. His laundry list of phobias included drinking tap water, walking through grocery stores, and driving on highways. He smoked too much and suffered incapacitating panic attacks. Yet as founder of Stray Rescue in St. Louis, he spent his days chasing wild, injured, diseased dogs that no one else would touch.
When she looked up into his eyes, Randy saw the look he’d seen before in hundreds of dogs when they realized that being wild was over, when they realized they couldn’t hunt, couldn’t fight disease, couldn’t depend on the pack. It was a look that said they were tired, a look that said they had no choices anymore. On Sunshine, who had probably watched her pups die slowly one by one, probably licked them and nudged them and savored their warmth of their bodies until the awful moment of cold clarity hit her, it was a look that said, I give up.
“It still shocks me sometimes that other people don’t feel the way I do about the dogs,” he said, “When I first started doing this, I was surprised that other people didn’t hear the dogs talking to them, you know? They tell you when they’re hungry, when they’re sad, when they’re happy. I mean, they’re just like us; they’re living, breathing beings who search for happiness just like we do. They want comfort. They want a nice place to sleep, good food, and treats. They want to be loved and wanted.”
But you know, I’ve realized that people choose not to hear them. People are selfish and don’t want to see suffering. I mean, it’s easier just to get rid of them, not to feed them, to kick them when they get in the way. Then it doesn’t hurt to look at them, to hear them beg for help.”
Tough book to read. Tough to think of God's 4 footed angels starving, sick and dying with no one to care for them accept other dogs in their pack who are in the same boat. But great to hear of someone dedicated to save them and to hear of the success stories. Glad to have read the book.
January 22, 2008
I read this book in less than a day. It is about Randy Grim, the founder of Stray Rescue, and how he and a group of volunteers go out to East St. Louis and North St. Louis in search of dog packs to rescue. It was chilling to read how some people treat dogs, and even more disturbing to read how Randy is treated by others when dealing with his compassion for dogs. If you are a dog lover and/or philanthropist, this is a good book to have in the reference.
October 29, 2020
Amazing passion for the unwanted and unlovable
June 20, 2015
This book wasn't very well-written, but the story more than made up for that. Randy Grim is an eccentric and antisocial St. Louis man who has dedicated his life to rescuing stray dogs. It seems an impossible task, as there are SO MANY in the city, but he does his best. Most are pit bulls or other "scary" large breeds, and they roam the streets in packs. This book was not an easy read - Randy experiences death on a daily basis, and though he goes to feed and sit with certain dogs day after day, they remain very fearful and untrusting of him. It is such a huge problem, and the fact that this guy makes his entire life about changing it? Is pretty inspiring.
June 15, 2008
After I read this book I swear I wanted to help this gentleman. I wanted to help his group, wanted to be in his circle of friends. His heart may be too large, but the way rescues, save, and cares for all of these dogs. He recently received a huge award from zootoo.com. I think it's a million bucks toward his rescue group Stray Rescue of St. Louis! Horray for Randy Grim!
Peace ~ Out
Teresa
Peace ~ Out
Teresa
February 13, 2020
I give the book 3 stars but the story 5 stars, so averaged it out to 4 stars.
The story...The Man Who Talks to Dogs is the story of Randy Grim, the founder of Stray Rescue of St. Louis. Mr. Grim has a strong empathy for dogs who live in packs and struggle to survive in impoverished areas of the city. This is the story of how he started to save these dogs, one by one, nurse them back to health, help them to trust humans, and then place them into loving homes.
The story will pull at your heart. It is impossible not to be moved by the tales of the individual dogs. After reading this book, I would guess that most readers will hug their dogs tighter if they have one, or seriously consider adopting from a local shelter if they don't. The story is very powerful. At times, it can be difficult to read because the suffering is so great (not only the suffering of the dogs, but also of people who are part of these impoverished areas).
Now for the book....I just didn't connect with the writing style of the author. It didn't flow well for me and seemed "choppy".
That said, I still recommend the book.
The story...The Man Who Talks to Dogs is the story of Randy Grim, the founder of Stray Rescue of St. Louis. Mr. Grim has a strong empathy for dogs who live in packs and struggle to survive in impoverished areas of the city. This is the story of how he started to save these dogs, one by one, nurse them back to health, help them to trust humans, and then place them into loving homes.
The story will pull at your heart. It is impossible not to be moved by the tales of the individual dogs. After reading this book, I would guess that most readers will hug their dogs tighter if they have one, or seriously consider adopting from a local shelter if they don't. The story is very powerful. At times, it can be difficult to read because the suffering is so great (not only the suffering of the dogs, but also of people who are part of these impoverished areas).
Now for the book....I just didn't connect with the writing style of the author. It didn't flow well for me and seemed "choppy".
That said, I still recommend the book.
Read
January 9, 2021 randy grim founded stray rescue of st louis, and organization dedicated to rescue and rehabilitation of stray or feral dogs, abandoned or born wild, who statistically wont live past their second year.
horrific and heartwarming stories of those he saves, and those he couldnt save.
randy also suffers from severe anxiety. he goes around and feeds stray and feral dogs, until they warm up enough to him to be caught. he takes as much time as needed, often visiting daily for months.
a sad but touching book. it shows that with love and patience and lots of food, these wild homeless dogs can be given a new life and can learn to be very happy as pets.
horrific and heartwarming stories of those he saves, and those he couldnt save.
randy also suffers from severe anxiety. he goes around and feeds stray and feral dogs, until they warm up enough to him to be caught. he takes as much time as needed, often visiting daily for months.
a sad but touching book. it shows that with love and patience and lots of food, these wild homeless dogs can be given a new life and can learn to be very happy as pets.
July 1, 2023
Selfless man. Wonderful work he's done to help the feral dog population in the US.
June 25, 2025
Every human (especially Americans) should read this book!
June 28, 2009
A wonderful story matched by the lousiness of its telling. Monotone prose is broken only by shrieks of adulation for the titular Man Who Talks to Dogs, who seems only too ready to add his own self-congratulatory commentary. The dogs are the real heart of the story, but they are skipped over in favor of these very, very tiresome elements.
June 2, 2012
A great book about an individual able to overcome his own fears and anxieties in pursuit of something greater. Randy Grim's commitment to helping those dogs who have no one else is an inspiration to those of us who see humanity in the eyes of animals.
Want to read
January 6, 2014Wow! And amazing portrait of a remarkable man and the strays he rescues. Sometimes triumphant and sometimes heartbreaking. But always compulsively readable. Everyone needs to learn about the tragedy perpetrated every day in the world of stray dogs, so everyone should read this book.
Read
February 24, 2013This book is simply amazing. Heart breaking and heart warming at the same time. This man does everything I've wanted to do and be since I was a little girl. I now volunteer for Stray Rescue and love every second of it.
January 15, 2016
Since I haven't been to St. Louis, I don't know the neighborhoods he describes, but I appreciate his work and the author's vivid descriptions. His kindness towards stray dogs is remarkable and unique. I keep on the look out for strays now, and hope to be ready when one needs help.
March 12, 2007
Makes you want to help, get out and DO something to help the plight of homeless dogs. Fairly well written too.
August 12, 2010
This is the book that inspired me to volunteer for a rescue group for dogs and become a foster parent for dogs in transition between the streets, and their new forever homes. Very inspiring!!!
May 5, 2013
By far one of my favorite books ever, Randy Grim is a hero among men. Sad, but wonderful story. I follow Randy and Stray Rescue, the work he does for animals is unreal. True inspiration.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews