New Book Recounts Experiences working as an Animal Control Officer: Review from Dog Channel.com

Tales From a Dog Catcher
New book recounts experiences working as an animal control officer.
May 25, 2009

Most dog lovers would not find a career in animal control particularly enticing. But in the new book “Tales from a Dog Catcher,” author Lisa Duffy-Korpics recounts her years as an animal control officer in a series of fascinating and engaging stories.
In the 22 real life stories, Duffy-Korpics sheds light on the duties of a dog catcher serving the public. While there are plenty of mundane tasks civil servants must perform, there are plenty more exciting adventures the public is not always privy to. The author offers readers a glimpse into her world, where each day is never the same. She also reveals herself to be a compassionate animal lover as much – if not more so – than some of the people she served.
Each vignette is an interesting tale of human and animal interaction. The book is as much about the many animals Duffy-Korpics has encountered as it is about the quirky characters she met.

From the housewife certain there is a mountain lion or bear in her garage to the decades-long feud between two neighbors and their dogs, the stories can be funny and heartbreaking, often simultaneously. However, there is no shortage of entertaining encounters.

Animal lovers will appreciate the candid tales, and enjoy a new perspective on an often unexamined profession.

“Tales from a Dog Catcher” by Lisa Duffy-Korpics is on sale now.

Readings and Signings for June and July 2009

The Walden Josephine Louise Memorial Libary at 5 Scofield St, Walden, NY 12586 , (845) 778-7621, was established as a circulating library in 1896, the library has been housed at its present location since 1916. Chartered in 1900 by the NYS Regents Department, the Walden Public Library opened March 1, 1901 and incorporated in 1910.
Its greatest benefactor, the Hon. Thomas W. Bradley, resident manufacturer and U.S. Congressman, provided matching funds for a centrally located village hall which would include a permanent home for the library. The library is a memorial to his wife, Josephine, and daughter, Louise, one of the founders of the 1896 circulating library. I'm thrilled to have been invited to do a reading/book talk and signing at the library on Thursday July 9th at 7pm. Thursdays are also the weekly Farmer's Market in the Village of Walden - so stop by and pick up some produce and baked goods and then come on back to hear some stories from Tales from a Dog Catcher in the evening!

I'll be at Barnes & Noble at Newburgh Crossing, Rt. 300 (Union Avenue), Newburgh, NY on Thursday June 18th at 7 pm. Come and pick up a signed copy and have a frappucino, (or buy ME one!) and keep me company - Remember Father's Day is only a few days later - all Dad's love animal books...really...would I make something like that up?

Animal Radio Interview on June 20th at 2:45 pm

I'll be chatting with the folks from Animal Radio on XM Satellite Channel 157 on June 20th at 2:45 or so, (I'll update once I know for sure). You can listen on XM or your local affiliate station or even online at http://www.animalradio.com/. Animal Radio has a lot of helpful information for pet owners, product and book reviews, timely animal related news, and tips from well known Veterinarians to keep your pets happy and healthy.

Tri-County WOMAN Magazine - book review and interview!

Tri-County WOMAN magazine is a regional women's interest publication for females 24 to 65+ who live or work in Orange, Dutchess, and Ulster County, New York. It is published by Tigerlily Communications. The Editor in Chief is Felicia Hodges - photo-journalist, mom, writer, editor, publisher, college instructor, breast cancer survivor and activist, and as of this month...a Black Belt!

Each issue of Tri-County Woman has features on area women who are doing great things in their communities ("Movers and Shakers"), ("Book Nook"), articles for parents and parent-to-be ("Matriarch’s Manor") and relationship articles ("You and Your Mate"). Some departments, including "Business Spotlight," "In This Corner..." (local information of interest as well as product and movie reviews), "Book Nook" (reviews of local authors' books) and "HERStory" (dates of interest to women). Their readers are smart career-, education- and family-minded women - be they stay-at-home moms, single CEOs, graduate students or retired grandmothers - who want to take advantage of all the area has to offer. It has been proudly produced by Mid-Hudson Valley women since 2005. In June 2007 - Tri-County Woman won the WRPA (Women's Regional Publications of America) Gold Award for Editorial Excellence, Best Special Insert, Best Internet Content and WRPA Silver Award for Magazine of the Year.

For the June issue, I had the privilege of being interviewed for the "Movers and Shakers" section by one of their contributing writer's Leah Black. I admire Leah so much....she was so thorough and helped me feel comfortable being on the opposite side of an interview for the first time. Add to this, the fact that she did this interview in several parts with a brand new infant AND a toddler in the background. She is definitely an excellent multi-tasker!

Tales from a Dog Catcher will be the book reviewed in the "Book Nook" in the June edition as well. Thanks go out to my dear friend Felicia who published my first paid published piece many years ago as an editor for Hudson Valley PARENT Magazine's "Parent's View" section. It was titled "Baby Shoes" and my son was about two - he's 15 now and his shoes are a great deal larger! That essay was reprinted in Chicken Soup for the New Mom's Soul about a year or so ago.

Thank you Felicia...you are a role model for women everywhere! Check out Tri-County WOMAN at the link here or above.

Gracie the Dog: Naked Rescue Mutt Fearlessly Rides Seattle Metro Bus

I have a new friend! Gracie is a mixed breed rescue dog from Seattle, Washington. Her Mom reviewed my book, (you can read about it below), and now I find that she enjoyed it too, although she was protected from the very sad parts - which was a good idea since that may give her nightmares. You can read her take on Tales from a Dog Catcher here.

http://midlifedog.com/blog/index.php/a-dogs-life/a-dog-book-that-deserves-to-be-rescued/.

I enjoy reading about Gracie, her love/hate relationship with the cat, Ophelia and also about all of her adventures. I think it would make a great book! When you get a chance, check out her blog and see what Gracie's up to today. She is quite the jet-setter and even rides the city bus, and does so in a much calmer and appropriate manner then most people I've met on a city bus!

A Lovely Review from an Amazon Top Reviewer

5.0 out of 5 stars This book deserves to be saved!, May 4, 2009

Dr Cathy Goodwin (Seattle, WA USA) - (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review on amazon brought tears to my eyes. Not only that, but she nailed the city! Even living clear across the country she could recognize my home town. I love the title of the review too. Let's start a campaign like in that scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, when everyone carries signs that say "SAVE FERRIS"! Much thanks to Dr. Cathy Goodwin from Seattle Washington. I truly appreciate it.

"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 many 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."

-Dr. Cathy Goodwin