I requested your book as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago but it took me until yesterday to read it. It just so happened to make the perfect read while flying alone from Cancun to Cincinnati. (Although I am sure some people thought I was a little crazy as I sat there with tears flowing!)

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I too had a Spritey in my life that I will never forget. I have loved all the dogs in my life but Sprite was different, so very, very special.

In October, 1989, my son and I decided to visit an Animal Rescue Shelter to find a companion for our Kelsey, a Yorkshire Terrier, who was 3 years old and we had since she was 8 weeks. As my son (almost 13 at the time) walked through peering into cages, I happened to walk into the Office. I looked down to see a little dog all curled up in a basket by the fireplace. When she looked up at me, I could see so much sadness in here big beautiful eyes. I knew immediately she was the one for me!

I called out to my son to hurry and look and he too felt so sorry for her. The woman at the shelter told us that she had just been found a few days before, completely malnourished. She had no hair on her body, had recently given birth in the wild (no puppies were found) and was attacked by another dog that ripped her leg wide open! So there she lay, no hair, stitches in her belly from just being spayed, and stitches in her leg that had been sewn up. The Vet estimated her to be only between 1-2 years even though she looked as if she was 15. They named her Sprite because they too were on soda names but also because they thought she looked like an elf!

We came back the next weekend with our dog Kelsey to visit and on that day, Halloween, 1989, we took Sprite home with us! My husband, who was out of town but knew we were \”dog shopping\” came home the next day and he first said \”What is that? I thought you were getting a dog!\”

The first few days, Sprite would snuggle on our laps but did not explore or play. Then, after about 3 days of love, all of the sudden she stared spinning! She would just spin round and round with excitement whenever we talked to her and she and Kelsey became fast friends and companions. Sprite\’s hair grew in and she had these funny ears with long hair that made them looked like butterflies.

I think what made her so very special was the fact that she greeted us everyday and you knew she was saying \”thank you so much for rescuing me and loving me\”. You could just see it in her expression.

Just before Christmas in 1999, my almost 25 year marriage was breaking up and we were going through some tough times. My son was at home during the off-season from baseball and my eventual daughter-in-law was visiting. They went out that evening, arrived home late and were greeted by Sprite and Kelsey as usual. The next morning, Brian was standing at the refrigerator when Spritey walked in looked up at him as if to say goodbye, started shaking then made her way to my lap in the Family Room, looked up at me with one last thank-you and just died in my arms. Our Kelsey died of heart failure, probably a broken heart, just a month later.

I think of her often and I know my son does too. He is as big a dog lover as I am. I know have a very special and loving Yorkie named Lexi and a beautiful \”grand dog\”, a Golden Retriever named Mandy. Lexi weighs under 4 lbs and Mandy weighs about 85 lbs but they are very good friends and love to visit each other and both dogs are terrific with my three young grandsons.

I will never forget any of my dogs but most of all our Spritey. And even though the pain of their loss can be unbearable, I will also never be without the most loving companion anyone could ever ask for. Today, I have Lexi and when she lays her head against me chest and looks up at me, all you feel is pure, genuine love!

— Cathy from Lebanon, OH