The Last Diving Horse in America

August 2, 2021
In this moving love letter to rescued animals, Branigan (Adopting the Racing Greyhound), founder of Make Peace with Animals, shares her deep passion for giving unwanted creatures a second chance at life. A lifelong lover of animals, Branigan parlayed her passion into a job in her twenties assisting Cleveland Amory, the “founding father” of the modern animal protection movement and president of The Fund for Animals. It was on a rescue mission for Cleveland in 1980 that she met and adopted Gamal, a carrot cake–loving gelding, during an auction following the shuttering of Atlantic City’s Steel Pier, where a controversial diving horse act was the main attraction. Over the years, Branigan’s rescue attempts would extend to adopting a llama named Hot Britches, a malnourished mare and foal from Amish country, and Sparkplug, a feisty burro. Each enriched Branigan’s life with invaluable lessons, but, as she tenderly recounts, Gamal—who died in 1989 after a devastating accident—made a lasting impact on her life. “His quiet, non-judgmental way of listening... had a profound effect on me. While I may not have morphed into someone as brave or confident as he, I was light-years ahead of where I had been when first we met.” This heartfelt story will be catnip for animal lovers. Agent: Jeff Kleinman, Folio Literary Management.

August 15, 2021
A memoir about the rescue of a sideshow animal as part of the work of a flagship animal rights group. Branigan shares her experiences working for the Fund for Animals and its president, Cleveland Amory, one of the main architects of the modern animal protection movement. As a case study, the author focuses on the organization's rescue of a horse named Gamal, believed to be the last diving horse used at the Atlantic City Steel Pier, and the bond that formed between them. Based on extensive research, Branigan shares the history of the diving horse attraction ("animals trained to leap, with a woman on their backs, from a forty-foot platform into a ten-foot-deep tank of water"), details regarding other horses that were parts of the show, and her traumatic experience as an audience member. The author includes the heartwarming stories of other animals that the Fund for Animals rescued during her tenure at the organization, including burros from the Grand Canyon, another diving horse named Shiloh, and a llama named Hot Britches. Unfortunately, the author's narrative does not offer the same respect for the humans who have assisted the organization in caring for the rescued animals. When discussing the organization's facility in Texas, Black Beauty Ranch, Branigan makes clich�d comments about the culture and accent of Texans, even though, at that point, she admittedly had not yet visited Texas or met a resident from the state. Regarding a business trip she later made to the ranch, she shares stories that focus more than necessary on the appearances of several individuals as well as innuendo regarding the actions of others. Though these details may be intended as local color to set the scene, their abundance detracts from Branigan's message about her organization, which clearly does important work. The history of an admirable organization that falls short in its delivery.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 20, 2021
In 1964, 11-year-old Branigan saw the horse-diving act at the Atlantic City Steel Pier. While perhaps not directly, this was the beginning of a lifelong career as an animal-rights activist. She began working for the writer Cleveland Amory and his organization, which rescued wild burros, mustangs, llamas, chimps, and any other animal in need. One day in 1974, Branigan learned that one of the last horses to perform the diving act was in danger of being sold for dog meat. She was able to purchase the horse, Gamal, with the organization's funds, which changed her life immeasurably. Parents, husbands, friends are all present here, but they take a back seat to her involvement with animals in need and her bond with Gamal. Branigan eventually established a rescue group for racing greyhounds while continuing to write and work for animal rights. Gamal died in 1989, when both he and the author were in their mid-thirties. This is an interesting look at the early animal-rights movement, and the impact that the dedication of a small group can have.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 24, 2021

In 1974, Branigan (Adopting the Racing Greyhound) met Cleveland Amory, the writer and founder of the Fund for Animals, and accepted a position with the Fund. Several years later, the Fund for Animals was asked to intervene in the sale of Gamal, a horse who'd been featured in the famous Diving Horse show at Atlantic City's Steel Pier. The show had closed and was sold, horses included; one of the horses had already been sent to a Canadian slaughterhouse. Branigan rescues the horse and forms an enduring bond. In her quest to learn all she can about Gamal, Branigan uncovers the fascinating history of the diving horse attraction and its connection to Buffalo Bill Cody and meets some of the people involved. She also tells of the Fund's efforts to rescue Grand Canyon burros and clearly illustrates the struggles and heartache involved in large animal rescue. The Fund for Animals still operates the Black Beauty Ranch in Texas and is now affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States. VERDICT Of interest to all animal lovers, particularly those involved in rescue efforts.--Rachel Owens, Daytona State Coll. Lib., FL

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