The idea for this poem came to me one day when I stepped on the place where my dog Gandalf use to lie.

THE WARM

I use to wander through the house
The carpet cool neath my bare feet
While I pondered things undone
And planned for things I wished to do
I ‘d step upon a surface warm
Where my dog had lain.

It was the place to catch a nap
Or keep a watchful eye on me.
No matter what my thoughts were then
It was his loving form I saw
When stepping on the surface warm
Where my dog had lain.

No judgment did he put on me.
Without him at the opening door
My house is not a home to me.
Love was here in every room
Starting with the surface warm
Where my dog had lain. (more…)

Last Friday was the second anniversary of our family losing our boxer Jinx. We bought her one year after we married. While I was pregnant she watched over me and didn’t leave my side during contractions. She was always so loving and good to the kids as they grew up, it was like she was a second mother to them. Two years ago, I went away on a trip and when I returned I learned that she had been a bad girl around the house which wasn’t like her. I gave her love and passed it off as she was reacting to me being gone. I noticed her eyes were glossing over and she was having a hard time making it up the stairs. Since It was winter and her hips were not so good in her old age, I passed it off as the hip displaysia. Around 1:00 am she needed to go outside and she didn’t return. I woke my husband, we put on our winter clothes and set out to find Jinx. (more…)

Dear Mr. Levin,
My name is Robin and I am a 35 yr old avid animal lover. I also have a small pet sitting business that i’ve had for about 12 yrs. The reason i am writing however, has nothing to do with me. My mom was a geriatric nurse in a nursing home for 35 yrs before she retired. There was a patient there who had joined them because he had developed severe alzheimers disease. He no longer recognized his wife or his friends. He was a beloved local fisherman by trade and he and his wife were founders of the Southampton Town animal shelter and long standing board members of Bidawee. They had many dogs through the years but my story is about Cody. They rescued cody from the shelter as a young shy girl and she became a fast friend to them both. After george went into the nursing home his wife (Iris) would bring her everyday to see him and the nurses and residents or the nurding home loved her and looked forward to her daily visits. When george passed away Cody became Iris’ best friend still. I would go to visit iris at home and cody would greet me with a smile even as she grew older. She would hold it longer then one would think possible in order for her mistress iris not to have to walk out on the ice in a storm. She was a a smart girl who, even as an old lady, alerted her mistress to an early morning fire in the neighborhood. She developed kidney failure in her final days. She had a wonderful life with Iris and george and she was a hero. I must say that i am writing because although cody died 2 yrs ago (i was with her when she crossed the rainbow bridge)…iris still cries when she talks about her. She wrote a book about cody soon after her death and she paid for all the publishing and she gives all the proceeds to local shelter and bidawee. Its quite a good story. (more…)

I just read your book on Sprite , Pepsi, and Griffen. and I LOVED it. Your entire family loves really hard. I have so many memories of my Bruce Springsteen (Dewy) Overholt, Bianca (Banacos) Overholt, and Keli (Bear Dew) Overhokt. I loved them soooo much and I too kissed every part of their bodies to pieces. I still can feel them. My husband brings home strays like crazyi and I am talking cows, llama’s, cats, you name it. We love hard too! We always laugh at the fact that we “own” a wing at our vets office. It is very true that you can measure a human being by the love he gives his animals. I remember when I was little, even seeing road kill, killed me and I use to put y mom and dad over the edge everytime I saw a dead animal. I also remember calling the cops to tell them I was going to have to kill my ex-husband if he did not give me my dog back so they followed me there and made him return my dog! I think back all those years ago. I am 47 and some of it is hiarious to me now! Thank you Mark for letting me see you this way, I have a whole new out-look because you are and your family very kind people and your Sprite loved you more than life it’s self. Sometimes I would think you were a little arrogant but not anymore. You just believe in what you are saying and that is okay, I get it!

Take Care,

Robin from MI

Darcy thinks the holidays can be “ruff.” She’s my new 8-month-old puppy. I rescued her in June after I had to say goodbye to my best friend Aspen (14-year-old lab mix). Darcy is a bundle of energy — half blue heeler, half German sheperd. Our trainer calls her a miniature German sheperd. I wouldn’t want to be without her. Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and joyous Kwanzaa to all!

Patrice from CO

Writing you this note, is in a small way, serves as my way to cope with the pending decision my family and I will have to make in the next 48 hours. Our dog, Ebony, is very ill and has reached that point of what I believe is no-return. Ebony has been a member of our family for almost 10 years. She was found abandoned on Easter Sunday, 1997 in our neighborhood. From that time, she has asked nothing from us except love, and has been one of the best mixed breed dogs I have ever had.

Within the last two months, she has become so ill, that she can no longer eat, or move. The quality of life for my dog is gone, and I have come to accept that as most responsible dogs owners eventually do. As a member of law enforcement, I found that my heart is hard when dealing with criminlas, but the pain of losing a pet, is never easy. Thank you for your story and God bless you for having the courage to tell it. I am not sure I could have.

Eric from MO