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Canine Caper: Real-Life Tales of a Female Pet Vigilante
Recounts the married-with-children author's transformation from accountant to animal rescuer after discovering an abused mother dog and puppy that reminded her of the cat who was her only friend in the orphanage where she was raised.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 5, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 12, 2010
It's not often I come across a book which makes me so happy and so mad at the same time. My review may be confusing and for that, if that happens, I'm sorry but I doubt my thoughts are going to come out in a methodical way.
I'll start by saying that the dogs and puppies this woman "found" were, for the most part, in horrendous shape. I use quotations there because I'm not convinced Block did in fact find them. I think she actually went on missions to seek these animals out. I give no opinion on that in particular but there is a marked difference between helping an animal on the side of the road that happened to cross your path and investigating and going into people's yards.
I agree and think what she's doing is great. BUT.... there is a flip side here. She is breaking the law and she's stealing these animals. Now, I for one have been turned away by both the "Humane" Society and the SPCA in Delaware so I can understand her frustration when it comes to those organizations.
I think her heart is in the right place but unfortunately it takes more than just that to be right. I'm sure she's saved many an animals life which is a beautiful thing.
The book left me wondering what would happen if someone like her saw my black Lab Scooter. He wears no collar because he doesn't leave his home without one of his people and he's thinner than he's ever been because of diabetes. Would she automatically think he's being neglected and take him? She would have no right to. In my exact situation she'd be unable to because like I said, the dog doesn't go outside alone. And if she entered my home she'd be met with a baseball bat to her head. My point is that if everyone moved on opinion alone where exactly would society be? There are laws for a reason. I don't agree with all of them but that doesn't mean I don't have to follow them.
The best thing Block did, besides the actual saving of lives, was to document what the police were doing. I only hope she followed up on it (I never heard anything and I think it would have been everywhere if the media got ahold of that video).
I also want to mentioned her "husband" and I use the quotations because a man who acts like him shouldn't be honored enough to be given that title in my opinion. He was the biggest asshole until the very end of the book. I'd like to know how much is really true and how much is made up. He just did that 360 all of a sudden when he was a total prick before? I'm not seeing it happen. If I were Rose Block I'd have left that entire portion of the book out because I'd have been mortified for anyone to know I allowed myself to be treated like a piece of dogshit. He talked to her like she was shit on his shoe. Why do women put up with this? Was he okay with her portrayal of him? Questions, questions, questions.
Canine Caper is a quick book even with the horrible situations concerning the dogs. Those specific parts will break you're heart and as I said in an update, the only person who could read those and not be affected would be someone capable of the kind of abuse mentioned here. At the same time, you probably won't like Block, or her "husband", very much.
The writing itself was very amatuer - what was Delilah Ahrendt's role in this exactly? I would assume Ahrendt helped because Block wasn't an author but if that's the case I couldn't tell.
I'll start by saying that the dogs and puppies this woman "found" were, for the most part, in horrendous shape. I use quotations there because I'm not convinced Block did in fact find them. I think she actually went on missions to seek these animals out. I give no opinion on that in particular but there is a marked difference between helping an animal on the side of the road that happened to cross your path and investigating and going into people's yards.
I agree and think what she's doing is great. BUT.... there is a flip side here. She is breaking the law and she's stealing these animals. Now, I for one have been turned away by both the "Humane" Society and the SPCA in Delaware so I can understand her frustration when it comes to those organizations.
I think her heart is in the right place but unfortunately it takes more than just that to be right. I'm sure she's saved many an animals life which is a beautiful thing.
The book left me wondering what would happen if someone like her saw my black Lab Scooter. He wears no collar because he doesn't leave his home without one of his people and he's thinner than he's ever been because of diabetes. Would she automatically think he's being neglected and take him? She would have no right to. In my exact situation she'd be unable to because like I said, the dog doesn't go outside alone. And if she entered my home she'd be met with a baseball bat to her head. My point is that if everyone moved on opinion alone where exactly would society be? There are laws for a reason. I don't agree with all of them but that doesn't mean I don't have to follow them.
The best thing Block did, besides the actual saving of lives, was to document what the police were doing. I only hope she followed up on it (I never heard anything and I think it would have been everywhere if the media got ahold of that video).
I also want to mentioned her "husband" and I use the quotations because a man who acts like him shouldn't be honored enough to be given that title in my opinion. He was the biggest asshole until the very end of the book. I'd like to know how much is really true and how much is made up. He just did that 360 all of a sudden when he was a total prick before? I'm not seeing it happen. If I were Rose Block I'd have left that entire portion of the book out because I'd have been mortified for anyone to know I allowed myself to be treated like a piece of dogshit. He talked to her like she was shit on his shoe. Why do women put up with this? Was he okay with her portrayal of him? Questions, questions, questions.
Canine Caper is a quick book even with the horrible situations concerning the dogs. Those specific parts will break you're heart and as I said in an update, the only person who could read those and not be affected would be someone capable of the kind of abuse mentioned here. At the same time, you probably won't like Block, or her "husband", very much.
The writing itself was very amatuer - what was Delilah Ahrendt's role in this exactly? I would assume Ahrendt helped because Block wasn't an author but if that's the case I couldn't tell.
April 20, 2013
Canine Caper is a quick, compelling read, even though poorly written.
Block writes (strangely in third person) about her experiences rescuing dogs who have been terribly abused and neglected, primarily from a run-down, desperate neighborhood. Because she is acting outside the law, local animal shelters refuse to help her, and Block's bitterness against them at times is a bit over-the-top. I couldn't help but wonder if the shelter's refusal to accept these dogs hinged upon their status as stolen "property," or because shelters have been under so much pressure to become no-kill in recent decades that many have become limited-admission facilities.
While most of the "canine capers" seem plausible, others seem entirely fictionalized. A highly unlikely chapter in which Block convinces two dogfighters to give her their prizefighters reads like something from a bad intrigue novel. Block's husband's 360-degree turnaround in attitude and behavior also seems ridiculous.
I will say Block is not like some modern-day dog rescuers who want dogs who display even the most vicious and unpredictable behavior to be re-homed in residential areas. She does accept that euthanasia is the best option for a dog whose aggression is dangerously unmanageable.
Block writes (strangely in third person) about her experiences rescuing dogs who have been terribly abused and neglected, primarily from a run-down, desperate neighborhood. Because she is acting outside the law, local animal shelters refuse to help her, and Block's bitterness against them at times is a bit over-the-top. I couldn't help but wonder if the shelter's refusal to accept these dogs hinged upon their status as stolen "property," or because shelters have been under so much pressure to become no-kill in recent decades that many have become limited-admission facilities.
While most of the "canine capers" seem plausible, others seem entirely fictionalized. A highly unlikely chapter in which Block convinces two dogfighters to give her their prizefighters reads like something from a bad intrigue novel. Block's husband's 360-degree turnaround in attitude and behavior also seems ridiculous.
I will say Block is not like some modern-day dog rescuers who want dogs who display even the most vicious and unpredictable behavior to be re-homed in residential areas. She does accept that euthanasia is the best option for a dog whose aggression is dangerously unmanageable.
July 23, 2015
This is the first book I've re-read willingly in almost ten years. I usually don't make a habit of re-reading books because I already know what happens, or I feel as though I'm getting behind on new books that I could be reading. I'm glad I took a break and decided to change my ways. This book has been one of my favorites since I was a very little girl getting odd glances from her teachers as she refused to obey and chose chapter books over Clifford the Big Red Dog. In Kindergarten I actually got in trouble for going for the Magic TreeHouse books instead of Clifford and other kiddie books. That struggle.
Anyhow, this book truly touched my heart. Rose's struggles trying to rescue dogs really make you ache. I forgot how much her husband, Bob, was opposed to her efforts. This is supposed to be a memoir, but it definitely doesn't read like one. I spent the entire book wishing things would go well for her while at the same time cringing at what Bob would say or do. Thankfully, in the end, everything works out for the best.(Of course it does. Otherwise there wouldn't be a memoir, right?)
Rating: 5/5
Anyhow, this book truly touched my heart. Rose's struggles trying to rescue dogs really make you ache. I forgot how much her husband, Bob, was opposed to her efforts. This is supposed to be a memoir, but it definitely doesn't read like one. I spent the entire book wishing things would go well for her while at the same time cringing at what Bob would say or do. Thankfully, in the end, everything works out for the best.(Of course it does. Otherwise there wouldn't be a memoir, right?)
Rating: 5/5
January 7, 2009
I loved the subject matter of this book(rescuing neglected and abused dogs), a subject very dear to my heart. I just didn't like the way it was written in the 3rd person account. I really wish she had just written it in her own words which would of made it more like a memoir instead of seeming to be a fictional account. The book is quite short and I found myself wanting to read more about how she got other organizations to come aboard and help her in her mission to save these dogs. would make a nice sequel. all in all I enjoyed reading it.
March 11, 2010
Worst book I ever read. I was actually angry when I finished it. The author demonstrates a disturbing disregard for the law; she shows ignorance on several levels. So disturbing you'll find yourself hoping it is all hyperbole and not the true story on which it is apparently based.
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August 7, 2011Enjoyed reading it - yes, I think Rose is a true animal vigilante and has definitely done a lot to help animals, also at an extreme personal cost to her and her family - it was interesting.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews