Mark. This Christmas I bought a few dog books for my 11 daughter since she loves to read, and loves dogs. Of course, one of those books was Rescuing Sprite. It took her about 3 days to finish the book and it touched her heart. She then past me the book and insisted I read it. I cried through the whole thing, it was such a beautiful story, and I felt every bit of pain that you have a few years back.

When my husband and I were married, I couldnt wait to get our first dog, and I wanted a Shih-tzu, just like the one I had at home with my parents. Before long, we had 2. Not to long after that they had a liter of 5 pups, and my family members couldnt resisit and adopted the pups, and we kept one. So here we were, a newlywed couple with 3 dogs that were like our children. They went everywhere with us, they traveled to the South with us in 20 hour car trips, and went with us camping a lot! Over the next 10 – 15 years, they shared with us the birth of our three children, new houses, and many ups and downs of family life. They were the best dogs.

When the youngest of the bunch was 11 years old, we noticed he wasnt feeling well, and he started to urinate blood. I took him to the vet who told us, it looked like a bladder infection, or stones. We left him with the Dr for the weekend so they could do Ultrasounds, and other tests, and will call us on Sat to pick him up. Sat came and went and they called us on Sunday to tell us he passed away overnight. Probably due to advance stages ofBladder cancer. Oh the grief I had was unbearable. To think my baby was at a animal hospital, alone, and scared and in pain and I wasnt around. I would of done anything to be with him his final moments to comfort and say goodbye… The other two at home were depressed, they wondered where their baby was, and I couldnt explain. Over time, our hearts healed, but we never forgot, we have his pictures all around the house. A few years later, 5 to be exact, my other 2 were getting older, they were about 15 and you can tell, they were showing signs of aging. My female developed CDS, which is like Alzheimers in people. She didnt know where she was, what she was doing, and had no idea who we were anymore. We would come home from work/school and she was have no reaction. She would get lost in the house, and get stuck behind the TV, or in closets. It was heartbreaking. She also had Gluacoma and was completely blind, and couldnt hear. Her blood tests also showed she was in early stages of renal failure.

We tried many drugs to help in her some way, but she was just lost. It was so sad to watch. I wasnt sure what to do because she wasnt in pain, but life to her wasnt a life. I dont know anyone who would want to live like that. On Easter morning, I awoke early before the children so I could get some coffee in me before the egg hunt, and I was stunned to see my little Angel sleeping on the couch that she has soiled with feces over night. It was all over the place. I knew then and their it was time.

The next day I made that horrible dreadful call, and made an appointment to end her suffering. I will never forget that day. Because I have always worked with animals, Euthansia was no stranger to me, I have seen it many many times, but to see my own animal recieve it was torture. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But I was thankful I was their with her, and that she was comforted by my presence. But afterwards, I had the same guilt you had, I felt like I killed her. A few weeks later, our other dog who was her solemate, stopped eating. Our vet told us it was probably depression, and give it some time, but if he stops drinking water, then bring him in ASAP. Well, sure enough he stopped drinking water. After Blood tests and X-rays we learned he was filled with tumors all in his chest. I was stunned, it was only 3 weeks since we lost our Maggie. We decided to take him home and make the best of what time he had left. That week was bad, he had trouble holding his bowels, and had trouble breathing.

On Saturday night, around 9 we noticed he was struggling to breathe, it was time. I told my husband that he would have to Bring my Odie to the Animal hospital, I was still raw from one loss already. AS he scooped up Odie, he had a look on his face like he knew it was time, he looked at me with those big beautiful eyes, and they said goodbye to me. I will never ever ever forget that look. My husband arrived at the animal hospital and was brought into the room with Odie, and waited for the Tech. When the tech went to take his temp, he froze and then shook and then fell to the table, he had died right their, and on his own….. Amazing….. All 3 of our first furbabies, are burried in our yard with a statue of an angel dog with their names.

It wasnt long before Our house grew again with 3 furbabies. 2 are from the animal shelter I work at, and one I bought from a pet store that I couldnt resist. I feel the same way you do about Dogs, I feel like when I look into their eyes, I can see their soul. I work at a non-kill animal shelter and it is the best job I have ever had. It does have it sad moments like when people who have had dogs for 10 plus years and decide to move and they cant take this family member. But to see older dogs get homes like your Spritey makes my heart race with happiness and joy. Check out the web site www.NSALA.Org

Thank you for such a wonderful book. My best to Pepsi and Griffen!!

Karla from NY