Rescuing Sprite is a beautiful but heartbreaking memoir of a cherished family dog and the bond we share with them.  Having been adopted by many dogs myself – all who left my life much sooner than I was ready to see them depart, my heart ached as I truly felt  your pain.  Our 10 year old rescue dog, Maggie , a golden lab has an autoimmune disorder and has had many close calls but seems to rally at the last minute.  She is my shadow, a therapy/helping dog for children with disabilities and the very best companion dog I have ever had. Each day is celebrated as a bonus.  We adopted her from the Atlanta Humane Society to fill the void left behind by the loss of our 17 year old and 16 year old Tibetan Terriers.  Over my 65 years, I have lost several dogs before to old age or tragic accidents.  But each one of them live on through fond memories and photos.  I cannot imagine our lives without a dog in our house – it would not be a home without them.  Sprite looks so much like my Maggie even though they seem to be of different breeds.  It must be the sweetness they portray in through their shining eyes and smiling faces.  Enjoy the years you have with Pepsi and Griffen and always remember that Sprite lives on in your memories.

Fondly,

Susan & Maggie from GA

Dear Mark,
I feel like I know you well enough to call you Mark after reading Rescuing Sprite. I could hardly get it read for all the tears I shed. My eyes stayed so watery and I couldn’t stop. Everyone who reads this will need a full box of kleenex. I also had to say goodbye to my dogs Bino and Daniel and my cat Tinker and it broke my heart. I was right with them when until the end. I think about them often and tear up everytime. I have so many wonderful memories that will last my lifetime. So thank you for writing this book. It makes us all realize how valuable every minute, second,hour,day and year are. I wish you and your family a lifetime of happiness and good health and thank you for your kindness on behalf of all animals.

Kay from FL

I recieved Rescuing Sprite for Christmas. My husband knows how I love to read animal stories. I cried through most of the book, but could not put it down. I always thought that no one loved their dogs as much as I did and do, but I am very wrong. Mark and his family do.

I had a wonder dog, Ginger for three years ten months and nine days. She was very ill when we adopted her and needed two major surgeries just to servive. We had a few real good years with her and she was the light of our lives. She became ill again and there was nothing that could be done and we had to put her to sleep seven weeks later. I was distrought over her lose, yet adpoted only a few days later. I think I was in shock at the time. Well Sallie Ann is now 10 years old, we got her at 1 1/2 years. She was abused and had some issues but has turned out great. She accepted another dog into our home nearly six years ago now. He is our boy Luke. I can’t explain what a joy he is.

Last year in Oct. we found out he had cancer and ended up having his left front leg amputated. I was so afraid I was going to lose him. it is over a year now and he is doing OK. Having a handicapped dog isn’t easy, but we would have it no other way. I want to thank Mark for writing this book and it is through tears now writing this about the everlasting love I have for my dogs that they really are a special gift from GOD. I hope that in Heaven God will recreate those special animals that were so much of our life here on earth, except this time they will be in perfect heath forever and always with us. Those who have never loved a dog or cat have really missed out on the extaordinary love they give to us.

Donna from PA

One day while walking from a parking lot down a wild trail I saw a cat laying under a tree, frighteningly thin (3 lbs.!) and unable to run away. I sat down nearby and talked softly to her and realized she was in very bad shape. I offered her a taste of my ice cream and she dragged herself by her front paws half into my lap.

Needless to say, I scooped her up and took her home. Being late, the vet’s office was closed so I made her a bed in a carrier for the night, rinsed her off and her fur washed right off her hind quarters completely. I wrapped her up and used an eye dropper to feed her chicken broth which she was barely able to swallow. The next day the vet determined she had a broken back, jaw, head trama that left her mostly blind, and FIV that gave her dementia and digestive problems. Miss Tetters, as I named her, still managed to be happy everytime I came near her and so grateful for a soft bed and food that I wanted to do what ever I could to make her last days comfortable. She lived 2 more years, was able to stand up and walk with a delicate wobble, and even jumped onto the couch to sit next to me whenever she could. She was so grateful and so brave I have never loved any creature more.

When the day came that I had to put her down it was clear she was suffering too much. I gave her a final meal of oysters and the ice cream she begged for ever since the first day we met. I buried her in a beautiful hat box, tucked into a soft blanket with a pearl (she was my pearl). Her trust and love were a great gift. Her courage a great lesson. I will never forget her.

Nancy from OR

About 5 years ago, around Father’s Day- My wife Teri and I were at the local flea market in Dalton, GA walking around. we people watch as much as shop. The regulars- the guys who come and set up at the usual table week after week, Leaving the “outskirts and dirt lot areas for the One shot guys- Someone selling the contents from their home, or what we enjoy- Seeing the farmers with the chickens and other smaller farm animals. We adopted a goat from one such dealer , It was someone’s pet at one point- He loved to be petted and was very friendly and outgoing. imagine my horror to see 2 guys from “Points Way south” trying to muster enough english to barter and bargain for this poor goat. I offered the original asking price-Showed cash and walked away with the poor soul (we still have “Mr. Bojangles”) this story is about another pet rescued on the day in question. He was seen in a little box, some dirty, booger faced kid with the Fan/Spray bottle over then “Keepin’ the critters cold” what her reason (the poor things were Hot, nothing to drink and she kept squirting them in the face!) And at the bottom of these poor souls I saw the runt, a little shock of white on his face- looking up with this hopeless “please rescure me from this” look.
Again, we paid cash and saved another poor soul from the wierdo’s at that flea market. they swore he was pure bread, they said he’d not be very big!

We were the proud(?) owners of a Vietnamese Pot belly Pig…We thought.

Pinky he was named for the patch of pink on his nose. He was active and housebroke quickly. about a week later, he got very ill, could hardly walk as if he was in horrible pain. i thought for sure we have to put him under, But the Vet said If I was willing to but the meds, the Vet would show us what to do. (He had arthritic Septecemia- a infection with arthritis symptoms) We had to give him Around the clock injections, But he pulled through and was doing OK- God knows he could EAT! (more…)

We adopted by chance a wonderful, scruffy, lilttle dog named Molly who was smarter by far than we were. She has since passed but we found a poem at an antique market called Tribute to a Dog. We framed it along with her picture. It’s a wonderful heartfelt poem and we have copied it, and after reading your book, we have added Sprite’s picture and would like to send it to you. How do we go about doing that?

Butch from NV