Mark,
As I read your book, I feel in love with your dogs, too. I have 4 small dogs, 3 of which are rescues. My adopted daughter did the rescuing.

Her latest rescue was November 2006. Amanda called me at work from her car in her office parking lot. She was distressed as she told me that a manager there was going to put a dog down because “she didn’t get along with the poodle” and “just sits in her cage all day.” She asked me if she could bring this dog home. I was used to saying yes to her by now, so “Yes! Get the dog” it was.

Amanda bought home a female Maltese, with her ear tattooed with her ID, worn down teeth from cage biting, four missing teeth, clean fur and trimmed nails. As sweet as could be. The owner said she was 6 years old. Amanda named her Lulu after a nice lady in her office. We made a vet appointment immediately. We wanted her spayed and a hard little lump on her belly needed to be checked out. The vet thought it could be a beebee cover with scar tissue. We’ll know during spay surgery. And by the way, this dog is not 6 years old. Her health puts her at least 10 years old.

Here’s the worst part, Mark. During surgery, I got a call from my distraught daughter. Lulu’s lump is cancer and she has 3 tumors in her mammary glands. Do we give the vet permission to excise them? “Yes, please save Lulu! I don’t care what it costs.”

After surgery, the vet told us Lulu will recover from the triple mastectomy. However she has a heart murmur and an enlarged heart. Her right hind knee has patella luxation, which is a knee that dislocated easily. No wonder she won’t do stairs! We carry her up and down stairs. She also had 6 teeth removed during her teeth cleaning.

We took Lulu to a heart specialist. With just 2 pills a day, she can live a good life, just don’t let her get exhausted.

Lulu has been a very happy addition to our family for over a year now!! We just love her. There are no cages in her life, she has a big back yard and 3 other dogs for company (and several rescued cats).

I gave your book to my sister who loved and lost several dogs, too.

Janice from NY