Mark and listeners- This site has helped greatly this last week and a half. I am sharing this with all, as it makes the transtion just a bit easier to share…

This is an e-mail I sent out last week, January 15th.

Yesterday we received some bad news regarding our dog, Cedar. She has osteosarcoma, bone cancer. She is 8 1/2 which is getting on in years for a dog of her size. We figured that we would have maybe another year or two with her. This has come as a bit of a shock, but we have noticed her slowing down alot in the past year. Up until about a month and a half ago she was still going for walks, doggie day care and her favorite, the Dog Park!

We had noticed her having trouble getting into the car and not jumping on the bed (by invitation only) anymore. I began giving her glucosamine with MSM (anti-inflammatory supplements) which helped her immensely. Just after Xmas she began limping. She went onto rimadyl, an rx med prescribed by the vet. I thought it was helping her. This past Sunday we went on a short walk and when she got home she began limping even more. Thus, I took her to the vet the next day where I received the news. (more…)

Mark,

How do I say thank you for writing such a heart wrenching book. To know that we were not alone in our love of a pet and our devastating hurt in losing her, meant so much to us.

I have had and loved dogs all my life, but losing our precious Shebah, was almost more than we could handle. We, like you, suffered along with our dear beautiful dog, for a long time. We tried everything, and like Sprite, she never complained about anything. She was a loving, lovable, lady until the end. I, like you, questioned whether wasn’t somehing else we could have done. Like you, there WASN’T. For six years, everytime we saw a beautiful Shepherd, we would tear up. “Rescuing Sprite” brought back so many painful memories, but it was good to know that we were not alone in our feelings. Finally, partly because we never wanted to go through that kind of pain again, we searched the Internet for information on raising a guide dog. We decided on The Seeing Eye, and signed up to raise a puppy. A German Shepherd of course. Eleven months later we were holding the most, maybe the second most, adorable little puppy in the world, named Emily.

When you raise a Seeing Eye puppy, you love, socialize, and train the puppy for about 18 months. You know from the day you first hold the puppy, that she will be going back, she is only visiting for a season. Yes, your head knows, but your heart refuses to except the inevitable. (more…)

Hi Mark, I know exactly how you feel – last year I had to have my 2 dogs put to sleep – Casey in March and Jake in December. Casey had been with me since she was 6 months old and was 12 when she went home – Jake had been outside during Hurricane Andrew and my niece rescued her from a pile of rubble and I had had her for 6 years. They were my children and I loved them so much but I couldn’t let them suffer. My vet told me I was giving them a gift by not letting them suffer longer. I have their ashes and have told my children that I want them scattered with mine on the gulf stream (where we scattered the ashes of my husband). My dogs give me so much unconditional love – and ask for so little back.

I now have Bailey, another Boxer, who I love very much and yet I know I won’t have her for too long – she is 10-1/2 years old and Boxers usually have a life span of about 12 (have had 5 others and none lived longer than 12). Enjoy Pepsi and Griffen and give them the love they deserve and when it is time give them the last gift you can give them – peace.

My heart goes out to you – as I read your book I was crying a good part of the time.

Blessings,

Paula from FL

I lost three of my precious animals in one year. They were all rescues, and when they died, my heart did too. Now, we have 7 rescues, but they’re my babies, in spite of them being “seniors”. They’re fenced, vetted, and well fed. We love them and they love us.

I made Mark a Christmas fleece blanket, but didn’t have an address to send it. Could you please give me one? It’s full of “puppies” wearing Christmas hats.

I’ve also made many fleece blankets for ex and present military servicemen.
Thank you for what you do.

Janet from TX

I read your book about Spritey today. As a dog lover, it touched my heart to see that more & more of us on this planet know the true meaning of love as that of a dog! I have 3 dogs at present. The one (who my Email address is named from) pined every day as I took her out to go potty, she would see our car in the driveway. She was looking for her Daddy & didn’t see him. It took Rodie some time to realize he wasn’t coming home. You see – my hubby had passed away. Thank God, I have my 3 doggies!

Jan from FL

Dear Mr Levin, I read your book RESCUING SPRITE and cried through the entire book.

My first dog lived to be almost 15 when I had to put her down. It broke my heart.

I now have two rescue dogs that are the greatest dogs God has ever created. They are my family, I call them my “little girls.”
Maddie and Tammie. Maddie was taken from boys on campus at the Ohio State University and Tammie was saved from death row.

I’m am fortunate to have found them.
You are truly a dog lover.

Georgann from OH