Oogy

Realistic Fiction
By Larry Levin
Reviewed by Hannah Luszczek
5 out of 5 stars

“The dog only a family could love.” Oogy, a white male pit-bull, was found abandoned bleeding to death on the streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with part of his face ripped off. He was only minutes away from death. Oogy, the two month old, was unfortunately used as a bait dog. (A dog that can be killed or seriously injured while being a target to see how well the other dog can fight) After being found by the police, he was rushed to the local animal hospital. He was given emergency surgery the next morning when the hospital administrator had convinced her boss to perform surgery even though he probably wouldn’t live. Then, days after the surgery, a father and his two twelve year old sons come in to put their family cat down and met the little puppy. After learning about the horrific experience they decide to adopt him because they felt sorry for him. Days after healing, Oogy finally got to have a family. Will he be able to escape from the past and get to live with a real family who actually loves and cares for him?

Oogy is a story of love at first sight. When the people first see Oogy, they immediately want to know what happened to him and fall in love with him because of his background. It’s also a story of second chances. If someone or something does wrong once, that does not mean it automatically has to be punished. Throughout each chapter, you hear about a different milestone in Oogy’s life such as his first trip to the dog park. Larry Levin does a fabulous job of describing what a former bait dog could have been to what it can be with the right kind of affection. I would recommend this book to any animal lover who wants to read about how an animal with such a disturbing past can turn out to be someone totally different. Oogy truly is an inspirational dog with a touching story.

Tags: based on a true story, Humor, pets/animals, realistic fiction