Mark I have not read your book yet but I will, I have just had to put my best friend of 13 years to sleep my puppy name was bandit a yellow lab he was with me through my fathers death job layoff and never failed me always at my side or greeting me at the door, I don’t know how to put all of this in words all I know is I must tell someone about some one that brought so much light in to my life – I’m better today for my relationship with Bandit – I hope some day I can write a book to honor him in the manner he should be honored – mark thank you for talking about this on you show – you have made it a little easier for me – but I miss my best friend and hopefully always will
Thanks Mark,

Pete from ID

Swish was an Old English SheepDog. I earned the $700.00 for her purchase myself when I was 14 years old. She was my best friend for 11 years. She saved me from a burglar, found water for us on a hunting trip, and waited by my window when I was away on my naval deployment. She passed away during surgery for mammary gland cancer. It was the first time I ever saw my Dad cry. She was truly one of us. I had thought about writing a book about Swish. She was so gorgeous with her all white head and a large white hook across her grayish back. I miss her to this day and hope God has her for me when I enter the Kingdom of God. I haven’t been the same since. She was, “My Swishy Bub!”

I read your book…I cried again. I’m a grown 53 year old man with a double doctorate…I wear Swish on my heart every minute and will die with her memory enmeshed in my soul. I hear her voice and feel her warmth. Call me crazy, just plain nuts (JPN), or overemotional; what the heck, I’m a therapist. Some things we NEVER get over. We often live with a controlled insanity. Thanks for EVERYTHING Mark…especially, your heart for LOVE and LIFE. Lord Bless you my friend…we’d be great friends if we ever met.

Mark from FL

My husband and I have no children so we consider our cat our “baby.” One year ago next week we had to put our precious Merfie to sleep after a 4 year illness with kidney failure. Merfie did not love anyone but us. Her nickname from family and friends was “hisser.” But oh, how she loved us. When she was only 6 years old, we discovered she had kidney failure. She spent one weekend in the animal hospital and when we brough her home we were told she had maybe 6 months. We voiwed to make those 6 months happy ones.

Those 6 months turned in to another 4 years. She had some ups and downs during this time but for the most part, she had a great 4 years. Last January, from one day to the next she was sick again. We took her to the vet and she was in the hospital for 3 days but she did not bounce back. It was the most difficult 3 days and still saddens me. During our grief over the next few days, we felt we wanted to get a new kitten right away. Our house was empty without Merfie. While she could not be replaced, we really needed a new pet to love.

Within one week we found a kitten at the local vet that was up for adoption. She was 7 weeks old. We named her Mollee and whille there is not a day goes by that I do not think of Merfie, Mollee has brought us so much joy, I can not put it in to words. She has turned out to be the most loveable, friendly, playful cat anyone could hope for. Our family and friends nickname for Mollee is “sweetness.”

Sue and Jeff from TX

I just finished reading your book about your beloved Sprite, and I felt compelled to send you a note.
I’m so glad that you told this story–I will tell you that I sobbed through many of the pages. But Sprites story needed to be told.

It has been 5 years since we had to put to sleep, Buster the bassett hound. My husband and I got him as a puppy when we first got married. He was my baby–I never loved an animal this much before. He followed me everywhere-from room to room. I “tucked” him in everynight-(he slept in our room on a fluffy dog bed)-I always would hold his face in my hands and tell him how much I loved him and kiss his face goodnight. These things may sound mundane to some-but I know you can appreciate these special moments.

Buster became ill right after Christmas one year. After several visits to the vet-and a misdiagnosis-I finally took him to a different vet to get another opinion. By this time, Buster had been bleeding internally-he had lost too much blood-even the specialist could not help him. It was the most agonizing day of my life to let him go. I still have guilt that I could have done more, sooner for him.

Robin from SC

I am writing for 2 reasons. The first is to tell you about my female Chow, Midnight, that I had to put down last year. She was almost 13 and I had raised her from 6 weeks of age. She was so old and had many health problems. Like you, every night I would pray that God would take her and spare me from making that decision but every morning I would get up and there she would be. It was devasting to lose her and I still miss her. I still have my Lab, Cisco, who is almost 13 years old. I have also acquired 2 Catahoula mixes, Hank and Hannah, who are brother and sister. They just turned 1 year in December.

The second reason I write to you is to tell you about what happened to my sister’s dogs this week. She lives in Tennessee. She has/had a Lab, Sissy (6 mos. old) and a Beagle, Peanut (4 mos. old). Well, her neighbor throws out food scraps and mixes it with Antifreeze to kill anything that gets in his yard. (They live in the country.) My sister’s dogs got into the food and were rushed to the vet the first of this week. The middle of the week, they had to put the Lab down. The Beagle is still hanging on and I am praying that she will make it. The Lab was given to my brother-in-law to replace the Chow he had to put down last year. He had never really gotten over that and now this has happened.

I had already read your book and on Christmas I gave it to my sister to give to her husband. At that time, I never realized just how badly they both would need your book. I can’t believe that some people are so evil. These dogs were like children and certainly did not know any better. I would not be able to stand it if someone did that to my dogs. Anyway, I drive 200 miles a drive and listen to you going home. I love your show and appreciate all you do for this country. God bless you and your family.

Debbie from TX

Today we put down our 14 year old Lab, Sandy. He was my wife’s “boy”. We live outsde of Fort Worth in a small town. I called the Vet early this morning and she was very compassionate with him. We all cried but knew his body was through with this life. We were able to bury him on our property in some woods he loved to roam around in.

It’s been a tough day, but your words rang in my ears and into my heart about the way people treat their pets. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your book and give copies to friends regularly. Thanks for the opportunity to share this with you. God Bless the work you and your family.

Mickey from TX