Dear Mark
We have had several dogs over the years. Some we bought and some we rescued. We rescued Shadow a rottwieler because she was nine years old and nobody wanted to take a 140 pound nine year old dog. We couldn’t leave her, we took her home and she lived for two years. I still remember how she looked when she would wander out of the bedroom after her nap, ears back and body wiggling with a big smile on her face.

After she died we saved Roxy a rotty husky mix in January 05, she was on the last chance list in Anchorage and she was only nine months old. Then I bought Sober a rotty in February for my husband on valentines day. Then in July Chubba was born he was the cuttest little brown pomeranian, he was just under one pound. He fit in one hand. As he grew with his brothers and sisters he grew fatter and fatter. The women who owned them gave each puppy a name so she could refer to them. She named little Chubba Chub Chub. He only lived with us for five months before he died when he was seven months old. I would take his sisters Roxy, Sober, and Chubba cross country skiing. Usually at some point I woudl have to pick him up and put him in my jacket and finish our ski. (more…)

My story is much too long to write. We rescued an 11 year old spayed Dalmatian named Reba. After she came home with us, the person we got her from said she was 13, and not spayed. We already had 2 Dalmatians and Reba loved being a member of the pack. We only had her 6 months before a blood disease took her from us. We lost two other Dalmatians at too young an age. Earl was 6 when he was diagnosed with dilative cardiomyopathy. Once diagnosed, a dog is given no more than 3 months to live. Every time we left the house, we didn’t know if Earl would be alive when we got home. Earl made it just about 3 months before he got so uncomfortable we had to put him to sleep. Blue was an 8 year old Dalmatian with congestive heart failure. We kept him on many medications, but it wasn’t too long before Blue’s big heart couldn’t keep up with the congestive heart failure and we had to put him to sleep.

All three of them lived and loved life to the fullest to the very end. I miss them all, but Blue was my “silly mama’s boy” and I still haven’t gotten over his loss. Actually, I’m crying now. “Rescuing Sprite” definitely portrays the bond between a family and a dog. A lot of people just can’t understand it. Thank you for writing such a wonderful portrayal.

Karyn from NV

Hey Mark
You know I listen to you on the
radio and read the animal stories every day.
It is amazing how many people
have the same emotions about
their pets.
I ‘ am the one that wrote in
about our Yorkie “Crickett”
She had this ability to know
when I was needing some
cheering up. I put some
music on the CD player and
pick her up and we would
Dance she would cuddle and smile and sounded like she was humming..
I know … I want another
dog but still cannot bare the thought of going through
that
pain again of saying good-bye.
Reading these stories of others Help.. Love seeing
the pictures also and your
pics too..

Thanks again

Faye from Ohio

After a miscarriage of our first child, my husband bought a Yorkshire Terrier for me to ease my pain. Her name was Sadie, her first family could not keep her. I immediately fell in love with her. She was my constant companion. After my husband and I were blessed with children, she would sleep under their cribs, their protector even though she was only eight pounds. As she got older, she developed heart problems. The vet did everything he could to prolong her life which he did for several years with medication. Finally, the day came to make the horrible decision to put her down. I stayed with her and held her as the vet gave her the final shot. I watched as the light left her eyes. I cannot tell you how hard I cried and how long. But, I would never have let her die alone without me.

I think of her often even though my children are now teenagers and I have another Yorkie, a male, Gizmo. I know that one day the time will come for me and Gizmo to part. As much as it will hurt me, I will be with him in the end as well.

Laura from FL

This is a short story and lesson about mine and my sister’s childhood pet cat. His name was Garfield because he was white and orange, a short haired cat and pretty big too. We got him from the neighbors when there cat had kittens. He became an awesome cat and would sleep on your pillow every night and was very easygoing and a very loving cat. Around 4 years old he got bad ear mites. He ended up having his face swell up from scratching his head too much and the ear mite medicine was slow in killing the mites. So off to the vet they drained the swelling and filed down all his claws to nothing. Being that he loved going out side to run around we couldn’t keep him in for long before he escaped.

Dad came home early from work luckily he made it home before me and my sister got off school and he found our cat on our deck barely alive all soaked and ruffled with drool from being mauled by dogs and died shortly after my dad found him he was laying beside the door and it was so sad to think he struggled trying to get home barely alive.

It still is a hard story to tell after all these years but I think it’s a good lesson to share. I don’t blame anyone for there being loose dogs because our cat was loose also and well dogs are dogs and cats are cats. But he might of stood a better chance or made it if he had his claws , he could have climbed out of danger or scratched a dog long enough to get out a there. So it would help your cat out a lot if you can get your vet to leave the claws alone if they are outside cats.

Love your radio show Mark it’s the best show on radio and you talk from the heart and you can tell by that the good job your doing.

Nathan from Canada

I finished your book last night. I’m glad to see that you are donating part of the profits to rescue groups. Most rescue groups (not shelters or the Humane Society) are made up of volunteers working from donations or, most of the time, out of their own pockets.

I am the rescue coordinator for the South Central Bloodhound Club. My husband and I have rescued bloodhounds for over 10 years, and many of the dogs and their stories are heartbreaking. It’s difficult to turn perfectly wonderful dogs away because there are no foster homes available. It’s never easy, but you learn to take heart in the ones you can save and say a little prayer for the ones you must leave behind.

We have three rescued bloodhounds. Our oldest, Moose, is a little over 12 years now, and he’s starting to have health issues. Nothing that we can’t work with yet, but he’s a little slower, a little grayer, a little more tired. But when I look at him, I still see the big goofy dog we brought home 12 years ago.

Thank you for doing your part to save a dog. It’s wonderful to see a dog that was abused find happiness and kindness in his new ‘forever home’. It amazes me that so many of these dogs are willing to trust us again after what they’ve gone through at our hands.

Again, thank you.

Pam from TX