Although Mark Levin is known as a constitutional lawyer and a nationally syndicated broadcaster, he is, first and foremost, a dog lover. In 1998, he and his family welcomed a half-Border Collie/half-Cocker Spaniel they named Pepsi into their lives. Six years later, his wife and son persuaded him to adopt a dog from the local shelter, a Spaniel mix. It turned out he was older than originally thought, and he was the most beautiful dog they'd ever seen. They named him Sprite.
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Our three dogs, known collectively as The Knuckleheads, bring fun, love and perspective to every day. They don’t care who I am, what I am or what I have. They just want to be with me. Being with them reduces everything down to the simple: run, play, be silly, be loving. Everyday I take time to spend with them doing all these things. It is priceless – and therapeutic! They are precious. All dogs are precious.
Lisa from OR
Mark,
I sent this letter to our local newspaper\’s opinion/talkback page.
I don\’t know if they\’ll print it, but writing it was somewhat cathartic. Harley is kind of a feline Sprite. Unfortunately his life will be much shorter. At least Harley will end his life with people who love him like Sprite did:
A Letter for Harley
On a cool rainy evening in August 2007, you left a friendly little tabby kitten near Mercy Village in Fort Gratiot. He had large ears and big eyes covered with a film of infection. I took him home. His name is Harley. He has feline leukemia.
We’ve often wondered how you could discard a sick kitten like you would throw away an old broken toy. Did you count on someone like me finding him? Did you leave him to spread his disease and die alone?
For a year, with the help of good food, love, and antiviral medications, Harley was indistinguishable from a healthy young cat. He played crazy cat and engaged in long conversations, albeit with a limited vocabulary. But a few months ago, the leukemia virus fast forwarded to the wasting stage. His little body can no longer absorb nutrients from his food. Instead of playing, he seeks a warm spot next to the people who love him. His voice grows weaker almost daily. He is dying. Soon we will have to put him to sleep. Harley will let us know when it’s time. Our hearts are breaking. You who abandoned a kitten in the rain wouldn’t understand.
Sharon from MI
For those of us in the latter group, the grief is much deeper and the pain much greater when we lose a beloved pet. Yet, the joy we experience and the love we are able to give and receive from these innocent and grateful creatures is on a much higher level than what mere pet owners can know. And, it is well worth the cost we must someday bear.
It is God who puts love into these precious animals, and enables them to give it so selflessly to us. Surely, no creature who has been blessed to give and receive God’s love will ever truly cease to exist.
God who loves his creation so much must surely love our pets even more than we could love them ourselves. The flowers and the mountains and the rushing streams are beautiful, but they cannot love. Certain groups of animals can.
I believe that Sprite is in a magnificent place with God, where you will someday find him again.
I love your big heart. I look forward to reading your book.
God bless and keep you.
I have had many dogs over the years and each one is special in their own way! Two years before my liitle dog Gumbo, a miniature weenie dog mix, lost his life, my husbanc brought home a little puppy that was weenie dog and wire haired terrier, black and brown…he was born on Holloween and keeping with the Louisiana theme we called him Boodan (boudin sausage)! He has that terrier activity level, much higher than aging Gumbo\’s ability to keep up with.
After Gumbo left us, I kept thinking about getting another puppy for a playmate for Boo, but just couldn\’t bring myself to go looking…I have rescued many over the years from shelters and the side of the road. One day in early October I was driving home from work and came around a curve and sitting in the middle of the road was this little puppy. He was white with black ears. Luckily the road has little traffic, I pulled over and saw the mother and two more pups run off into the woods, but this little guy was too pooped to keep up any more. I picked him up and took him home.
When I got home, my husband asked \”Do you have anything?\” as he often asks if there are groceries, etc. to get out of the car. I said \”oh, yeah, I\’ve got something!!\” and carried the little pup into the living room. He is also very fond of dogs, but do we need another dog?? Thus his name is Dewey (also a type of sausauge – andouille). He has become the perfect playmate with all the energy needed to keep up with Boo!! I still miss Gumbo very much – you can never replace one of your pets but you can open your heart to accept another little buddy!! He has made our house a little fuller!
Maggie from FL
Girlie meets Santa Claus at Petsmart
Craig from NJ
Gumbo was the best little dog in the world. Oh I have had many other dogs and loved each of them for their own special attributes, but Gumbo came into the world with those bright little eyes that never left me! ME the center of his little world! He was never bad, I never had to scold him…to this day I swear he understood English. I enjoyed his company for a wonderful 14 years! He and his mother, Mrs. P went everywhere with us, they loved to travel. I used to sing a song to him…”He’s a travelin’ dog, been around the world, a time or two!” We lost him June after a long bought with heart disease due to his advanced age! His favorite thing in the whole wide world was a balloon! He would show me what drawer they were in and bark like mad while I blew it up! He would bounce it all around and when it would break he would come back and ask for another! He ws a wonderful part of my life, he was my little GumChumBuddyBoy!!
I miss him!
Maggie from FL
