I adopted my sweet Emma, a chocolate lab/pointer mix from the animal shelter in 1998. On a whim on a Monday afternoon, I decided to drop in at the shelter to look at puppies. She was in one of the bottom cages, reserved for larger dogs, but unlike many of the large dogs, was not surly or downright hostile. She had a big grin on her face and wagged her tail wildly. I asked about her on the way out and was told she had been in the Wichita shelter for 2 days and had until Wednesday before she would be euthanized.

I went home that evening and told my three daughters about the beautiful brown dog. We hadn’t planned on even getting a dog, but all agreed I would go back the next day to rescue her, even if just to find another home for her. Under pressure from the girls, I called the shelter 5 minutes before closing time to inform the workers I would be coming for the dog the next day. The woman who answered the phone then told me that my sweet Emma was to be put down that night! I firmly told her to keep that dog for me, and that I would be there as soon as the shelter opened in the morning.

From the moment I put the collar and leash on her and led her to my car, there was no question that she was going home with me. For the next 7 years Emma bestowed on us her love, her wrinkled nose grin, and her gentle nature. She was hit by a car on January 2, 2006, while running with my husband. I was totally heartbroken, even though her daily run with him was the joy of her life. For a week, I could not work, could not cook, could not function. My husband was opposed to us adopting another dog, but the quiet of the house was overwhelming. Five days after her death, I returned to the shelter. I could not get out of the car, though, because of my sobbing. I decided to go to the Humane Society instead.

There a volunteer directed me to a beautiful yellow dog named “Banjo” by the staff. He was a very quiet, calm yellow lab/golden mix. They allowed me to meet him in a room, where he walked up to where I was sitting, and placed a paw on my knee before looking me in the eye. He was so gentle and calm. I took him home the next day. We have named him James, and he has made his own place in our lives. He was brought to the Humane Society by a woman who found him by the side of a road. He was brought in the same day Emma died. I believe that Emma directed me to James, so that he too could have a home. I still miss Emma, of course, but I am thankful every day for James as well.

Cathy from KS

Mark:
We lost our beloved Cocker Spaniel “Bud” on December 27th. He was almost fifteen years old and had him since he was 6 weeks old. In November he was diagnosed with cancer. He was upbeat until the end. Our other Cocker “Odie” who has Addison’s Disease is taking this pretty hard. He’s seven. On Christmas Day Odie starting throwing up blood. I spent most of Christday Day at the emergency Vets office. The next morining we picked Odie up and took him to his Vet’s office. We took Bud with us. The Vet left the room after examining him and said she would be back in a few minutes. When she returned she asked if we had made a decision? I asked what she meant? She said that she was surprised that he had made it through Christmas. I told her with Odie in the condition he was in I could not make a decision at that time, We took Bud home.

In the early morning hours of December 27th I heard Bud having a hard time breathing. I got up with him and tried to confort him. Soon it became evident that things were going down hill fast. I woke my wife and told her we needed to get to the emergency Vet’s. I had owned many pets through my 59 years, but had never had to put one down. Outside of losing my parents – I’m an only child – this is the most difficult thing I have ever had to do, but realized that it needed to be done to put Bud at rest. I couldn’t see him suffer. (more…)

My fiance, Ricardo, loves your show. This is our dog Presley, she may look innocent, but she tore up a whole role of toillet paper while we work at today. She is a Maltese, we never liked small dogs untill she fell into our laps and now she is the center of all attention. Everyone we know who has never liked small dogs has been converted by Presley, they fall in love with in an hour. She has absolutly no respect for humans, she will just make herself comfortable on your face, your chest, or wherever she wants. This all sounds horrible but if you were around her you would want her to come and sit on you. My dad has only ever had duck hunting dogs, usually golden retievers, not only does he love Presley but when she is around she runs the show, my dad and the golden retievers answer her every beckon call. I don’t know if you have ever seen a 6 foot 4 Texas deer hunter with a maltese sitting in the rim of his cowboy hat but it is a funny sight. My fiance had me look at your web sight and as soon as I saw the Rescuing Sprite section I fell in love. Thank you for giving all us dog obsessed owners a place to brag.

Ricardo from TX

Mr. Levin:

I’m a Philly Boy too. Front and Tabor in North Phila.

I doing business as a real estate broker I have to log onto the County website on a regular basis. On the side of the page is the “adoptable pet”. When I see the adoptable pet I usually say a prayer and I’m on my way. One day their was this goofy looking skinny dog marked as “Urgent”. I went to the shelter and bailed him out. I have two rescued cats who didn’t take to him very well. My mother who already had a dog allowed me to kennel him at her house. We a couple months went by with me walking the dogs every day and the day came that my mother’s dog Ginger had to be put to sleep. I helped Ginger thru it for my mother who had recently lost my step-father to cancer.

Well about a month has passed and there is one goofy looking dog named Gabe who has been adopted by my mother I walked him today. and that skinny 57 pound shelter dog with days to live is now 80 pounds and can poop with the best of them.

I bought Rescuing Sprite for her after Ginger was gone and it really helped.

I listen to your podcast every day and don’t miss a minute. I also listen to another podcast who was nice enough to read my letter. In the letter I asked that they announce www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Free donations to shelters with a couple of clicks of the mouse.

How about a Levin Surge for our four legged friends?

Thank You Very Much

John from NC

My little maltese, tiki is my indicator to the best people in the neighborhood.he is a friendly happy dog.he waits for the school bus to come every day to greet the kids. when he is not out when it comes, the kids ring my bell and they ask if tiki can come out and play.when i walk him he must stop whenever someone comes along to jump and wag his tail. if the person does’t react with a smile or a pat on the head, i know that person is not friendly.he can make anyone with a good heart happy.

Anna from FL

“Remember when he would jump up in our laps when we were on the couch?” “Yeah, sure do”, I whispered softly, watching with a heavy tightness in my chest at the slow deliberate circles Buster was turning in the grass. His supervised evening ventures outside to poo, pee, sniff and scratch were the only joys left in his little life. Well, that and the one small handful of Honeynut Cheerios we treat him with each day. Being now totally blind and suffering from painful hips that just won’t stay in their joints made this last pleasure not quite as enjoyable as it once was for him. “Poor little feller” Ricky’s deep reassuring voice broke the unspoken sadness we both were experiencing. “Go get him, momma” Sighing deeply, I arose from the steps to gently retrieve my little grey headed baby from his obvious predicament … hopelessly lost in our large backyard.

Ricky had put his foot down “No, Prissy We are too old and set in our ways to have a baby For heaven sake, our children are grown already” Not one to give up easily I begged “Please, PLEASE at least think about it ” Now, ten years later, I realize Buster was the only soul on earth that would have ever been able to fill the void left in my heart when I realized (finally) that my children could pretty much take care of themselves. I remember the day we picked him out as any mother would remember the birth of her children All twelve puppies came running up to us at the same time, small quarter-cup sized bundles of pure energy, each one stumbling over the next with a “pick me, pick me” look of excitement in their eyes. Because they were so very small, four together wouldn’t have made a pound, they were kept on a counter in a large but shallow sided box in a room connected to the breeder’s house. “How do you know which one to choose?”, you might ask. “They all look just alike ”. Well, ever heard of love at first sight? Corny, I know, but the truth I began picking them up, one by one, waiting to feel the familiar tug on my heartstrings, when suddenly, as I reached down to pick up one of the larger, healthier looking pups, Buster, looking like a small butterbean with large ears pushed him aside and leaped into my hand As I brought him up towards my face, he began covering my cheek with huge “puppy suger” filled kisses ………….TUG BIG TUG There went those heart strings…….

Buster was the runt. Although smaller, he was smarter, feistier, and much more determined to go home with us than his larger siblings. Large brown eyes of pure excitement gazed at us as if to say “Mommy Daddy You have finally come to pick me up ” As I tucked his tiny body into my sweater sheilding him from the cold outside, I was overcome with a sense of protectiveness that only a mother can feel. So it was, the beginning of one of the sweetest relationships of my life. (more…)