Tales of Four-Legged Firefighters of Old New York
I’m excited to announce that my next book, The Bravest Pets of Gotham, is now available for pre-ordering from Rutgers University Press, with a projected delivery date of August 16. If you are interested in purchasing an autographed book, please contact me by sending an email (pgavan@optonline.net) and I will ship it to you as soon as I get my copies (additional $3 shipping charge).
Like my website and my first book in the Gotham series, The Cat Men of Gotham, The Bravest Pets of Gotham focuses on the late 1800s and early 1900s, when the New York Fire Department (FDNY) permitted firemen to keep one dog, one cat, or singing birds in their firehouse. Since the firemen were required to live and work at the firehouse full time, these animal mascots—along with the horses that pulled the fire apparatus—were their constant companions, making a dangerous workplace feel more like home.
The Bravest Pets of Gotham will take you on a fun historical tour of firefighting in Old New York, as you enjoy touching and comical stories about the bond between FDNY firefighters and their four-legged friends and co-workers. You’ll also discover the history of fire escapes in New York, find out where the very first fire hydrant was, meet the fireman who starred in a Tarzan movie, and much more!
The book contains more than 100 astonishing, emotional, and sometimes hilariously absurd tales of the FDNY animal mascots whose extraordinary intelligence, acts of bravery, and funny antics deserve to be preserved, shared, and remembered. More than 200 fire companies are featured or mentioned in the book, so if you or a loved one was or are still in the FDNY, there’s a fairly good chance you’ll find your company in the book.
In addition to stories about the traditional fire horses and dogs, the The Bravest Pets of Gotham also has dozens of tales about cats, monkeys, goats, and even turtle mascots. Whether you are an animal lover, a history buff, or a fan of firefighting, The Bravest Pets of Gotham is full of stories that will thrill and amuse you.
“While the celebration of brotherhood and the connection between man and machine of the fire service has been widely covered for generations, Peggy Gavan’s The Bravest Pets of Gotham is a body of work that stands alone. Remarkably researched, her stories provide both inspiring and informative confirmation of the bond between the men and animals who so valiantly served the FDNY. Without question, Gavan’s book is a must-have for the library of any fire buff, historian, or animal lover.” ~Brent DeNure, Publisher, Vintage Fire Trucks
