Dear Mark,

I just completed reading you book. My nieghbor had given it to me as a Christmas gift, because she knew I would still mourning the loss of my best friend and companion Cisco Kid (he pass away in July) and I was having mixed feeling about adopting a 12 year old Sheltie named Hannah for the rescue group. You put into words all the feeling I had for my beloved Cisco, a sheltie. I was so lucky to have him for 16 years. We did everything together and he was always there for me. I miss him every day, especially when I wake up in the morning and come home from work. After completing your book, I have decided to adopted the 12 year sheltie.

Thank you so much for putting to writing what all of us dog lovers feel in our hearts.

Diana from MD

Mark, below is youtube interview of a boy on a radio show calling in and talking about a calf he had to put down. It is very moving.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zCdZwitrNoY

A remarkable phone call from a 12 year old boy to Houston radio station KSBJ FM 89.3. So profound, the station has it posted on their website. Click above to listen to it.

Steve from VA

When my husband passed away 8 years ago, I was left with his cat, Zeke whom I adopted as my own after we were married. When my husband died, it was just Zeke and I. What a comfort we were to each other. Zeke passed away 3 years later and again my heart was broken. About a year later after encouragement from family and friends, I thought about getting another pet – this time I thought about a puppy because quite frankly I’m allergic to cats. I thought about the big responsibility of having a dog and then made the decision to get my “Sophie”.

After having her now for 3 years it was one of the best things that I had done for myself in a long time. She has been such a blessing. It’s hard to be in a bad or sad mood when you are around her. A dog really is a “woman’s” best friend. I’m sorry for the sadness the Levins have experienced and I look forward to reading Mark’s book.

Sharon from TN

This is my cat Hisser. I often refered to him as my “puppy cat” because he acted like a dog at times. He would “bark” at times rather than meow. He came to us form our first family cat as a kitten, and got his name by the amount of hissing he as a kitten. The funny part was he never hissed out of defence but rather looked as to be laughing. One of my favorite things to play with him was a sort of peek a boo game where I would stand at the corner of a wall and just peek enough for him to see my eye, and when i would hide my eye he would come creepin up until he could see it again. Once he would get all the way to me by my manouvering around walls and such he would punce a bit and run off to take the hiding role.

He had an unbelievable strength to survive in my eyes as well. He survived an apartment fire we had in June of 2005. I remember going into the apartment after the fire was put out and realising that I may have lost both cats. The second trip through along with my wife I discovered that Chookie did in fact die, but at the same time I discovered her heard the meow of Hisser form under our soaked bed. He was having a hard time breathing but with oxygen eventually regained strength. Hisser has been with this family for a little over 9 years and grew up with my son whos 11 now, and has left us this morning. He was a member of this family in our eyes and left us with many happy memories.

Greg from TX

Hi Mark

I just finished reading Rescuing Sprite last night. What a wonderful book. I have lost several dogs over the years – most recently this past August. Each loss is different and it just drops the bottom out of your world. In October we adopted a dog from one of the rescue groups here in Wichita. We named him Wiley, he is an Australian Shepherd. He has been a wonderful companion to our 11 year old dog Sara. She is a Lab/Aussie mix. They became great pals witin days. He is probably about 5 years old. I canot imagine my life without a dog or 2 in it. The comfort and love is the best.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I attend a grief support group for pet loss here and it really helps to share your feelings with others who know what you are going through.

Pati from KS

I don’t have a dog. My wife’s family does though, a Daschund.

My father in law, a dog lover, once said to me “What’s dog spelled backwards? That’s why we have to love even the littlest of creatures.”

Best line I’ve ever heard in my life.

Keith from NY