Review: Memoirs of an Angel by Jim Huggins

How much do animals know? What can pets offer and share if given the chance? These are questions that are explored and answered in Memoirs of an Angel by Jim Huggins.

Having had a beloved dog in his life – a German Shepherd named Smokey who passed away in 2002 – Huggins began to feel lonely after Smokey was gone. Drawn to the breed and also driven by a passion for animals that have suffered abuse after his own childhood of feeling unwanted, Huggins began searching for a possible replacement. That’s when he learned about Cadie, a “boomerang” award winner – so named for the number of times an animal was adopted and then returned to the shelter – in her case, six. He knew he had to see her.

Lying in her shelter “prison” for two years, she seemed to have become disengaged and wary, but Huggins saw something in her eyes as she gazed at him that made him believe she was worth taking home for a tryout. On her first day at his home, she stood off, then cautiously bonded with his wife’s little snowball dog, and slept protectively with his three-year-old daughter, who had no fear of the furry giant.

Huggins soon found that if he let Cadie have her way, she would obey without instruction. A few outreach opportunities such as a community summer camp made him realize that she could comfort and befriend people in emotional distress: the old, those with special needs, children struggling with literacy, all became Cadie’s “clients,” as she seemed to know intuitively how to approach each one. Cadie becomes a family member, teacher, student, and empathic companion, as she offers a kind of protective calmness described very vividly by Huggins.

The stories Huggins shares will warm the hearts of all dog and pet lovers, and may amaze those unaware of how much a pet can give back for the care they receive, convincing readers throughout of the innate intuitive powers of our pets. Seniors who were reluctant to walk gladly went the extra few yards with Cadie, arguing over who would get to have her company next, while Cadie stopped a child from screaming in fear while receiving dental care. She evoked long-buried memories in adults, helping them to revisit and resolve childhood stresses, or wartime trauma. Her fame grew with newspaper articles and then a film, “Footprints,” produced by Huggins in her honor.

Matching Cadie with her human clients has allowed Huggins to express and share many joyful, sometimes life-changing encounters, each of these inspiring and eye-opening, both about the empathy of dogs, and also about the many people she helps. All told, this variety of well-told tales is a moving story about an exceptional companion, and also illustrates how animals can have a special ability to exude calmness with people needing such comfort, making Memoirs of an Angel: True Stories of Service Through Love a unique and inspirational memoir.