Dear Mark,

Just read your book about Sprite and it felt like I was there with you until his passing. A GREAT book. I felt the same way again since our bog passed away two years ago. Her name was Tabitha and we had her for 15.5 years before we put her to sleep.

She was suffering from arthritis in the hips and mini strokes. At the end she couldn’t even walk down the stairs to the yard and couldn’t keep her bowels regular. She had alot of fatty tissues around her whole body and she was going into renal failure so we had to do the humane thing.

A few months later we had to put our cat Kitty down also due to renal failure and weight loss.
We keep them both on our shelf in our bedroom. We have another dog Susie who is almost blind and deaf and she is also 15.5 years old and we will put her down soon but am not looking forward to it.

I will know for sure that when I die then Tabitha and Kitty will be waiting for me in Heaven playing with your dog Sprite.

God bless you.

Leonard from TN

Dear Mark,

I have composed this email so many times in the middle of a sleepless night, and it was never good enough so I never sent it. But now I think it is the time, good or bad, for whatever it is worth.

I am a 39 year old Christian, married, stay at home, animal loving (but sadly not vegetarian), homeschooling, conservative Republican, MBA-educated, Hannitized, successful Internet business owning, mother of three. I have worked hard for a long time and I have strong views that I keep to myself for the most part, because I left out that I am non-confrontational. Not a good combination, I know.

I have two major issues right now. First, for the last 16-1/2 years I have had my beautiful sheltie Kirby (named after Kirby Puckett and I can’t believe he outlived him) to be with me through the good and the many hard times. Last year I had to have his 12-year old best friend Kandy put to sleep when she was near death and our talented veterinarian had done everything possible to save her. She was my heart and soul and I thought I was dying when I lost her. Nobody understood. Let me just say that you are SO lucky to have Kendall there with you to understand. She is a Godsend. I was completely alone in this other than God pulling me through.

Kirby is not doing very well now (he is my Pepsi) and I read Rescuing Sprite (per Hannity) on New Year’s Day from 1:30 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., because I knew I would cry and I wanted to read it while my kids were sleeping. I can’t tell you what a blessing it was to me to find that there was someone else who had the depth of emotion I had about their animal companions(I was always afraid it was bordering on idolatry). Animals are what make life on this earth bearable, as well as our children of course, but animals’ love is unconditional just like God’s. I think that’s why He gave them to us. I am wrestling with Kirby’s final days now as he is having seizures periodically and is almost blind and deaf. (more…)

I just finished your book tonight and was moved beyond words. I too had to put my best friend Yankee Boy to sleep on December 3, 2007. He got his cute name since he was born on the fourth of July, 1994. He had been battling Cushings Diease for the past four years and has been a trooper through it all. I must thank Dr. John Kaya of the University VCA for being such a compasionate and understanding doctor. He’s helped us so much through it all and we are forever grateful. He always took the time to explain all of our options and was always willing to answer all of our questions.

I also want to thank Mark Levin for writing this book. I felt all the guilt and feelings that you felt too. It’s so reassuring to know that we are not alone and there are others who share the same feelings.

My husband has decided to bring another joy into our lives. His friend’s dog just had puppies and he’s looking for good homes for the pups. I already picked out my new pup who will join our family next month. Yankee will forever be in my heart. I love and miss him dearly.

BJ from HI

I just finished reading Mark’s story about Sprite and the story touched me so much. Much of Mark’s story of his grief at losing Sprite made me think, not think really but feel, of my own loss when my best buddy Jake passed away in June 2006.

Jake was the most gorgeous and sweet long haired dachshund and I loved that dog with all my heart. He really ruled my world – and for those of you who are familiar with doxies – he sometime ruled with an iron paw. he was the most special, amazing, loving and demanding dog on the planet and I would have given my left arm to have given him more time, or more accurately to have given more time to myself to be with him. When I lost him he was 15 years old and I kept thinking to myself that I don’t even know who I am without my Jacob. Jake was a rough and tumble character but he was also an incredible mama’s dog. People who met him, including the boyfriend’s I dated (some for years), would try to get close to him and win him over and he was always friendly, but it was obvious to all that I was his special love. And he was mine too.

Looking at Jake filled my heart with such love that i often thought to myself it was like looking at my own heart walking around outside my body. When Jake was 15 he developed a bone tumor that grew at such a rapid rate. About 2 months after its discovery it had grown to a size larger than a softball and it was effecting his ability to walk. He was tired and panting all the time and we had to make a decision — let it continue to grow or operate. (more…)

Mark, I’ve just finished reading your book – Rescuing Sprite. What a wonderful story to share with everyone. We lost our first Golden to Balstomicosis (sp?) at the age of 5; now we have Lady, who is 11 years old and has arthritis.I can’t imagine a day without her, although, like your family, my husband and I will go through the same agonizing pain when she passes. God Bless you for sharing your story – may time heal your hurting and may Sprite always remain in your heart .

Barb from WI

Sir, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for making this space availible for people like me who care about dogs and cats to write about their pets and the love they shared. Thank you again and thanks to your staff deals with stuff.

Don from WA