We just had to put down our 12 year young Beagle named Reba on Monday. She developed cancer this past spring. The vet gave her 3 months but she fought for 9. My favorite story of Reba came when she about 2 years old. We were at a horse show and were spending the night in a hotel. The hotel did not allow pets but it was to cold to leave Reba in a horse trailer. We wrapped Reba in a blanket and carried her into the hotel like a baby. She played the role perfectly, and did not make a sound In the morning when we left we walked past the hotel manager. He stopped us and asked us how are night was. Before we could react he opened the blanket to look at our baby. To his suprise he saw the large nose and big brown eyes of our Reba. He took a step back and was unable to speak. We thanked him for his hospitality and quickly left the hotel. There is a hole in my heart that I know will never be healed since her passing. I have other dogs in my family, and I am sure there will others in the future, but there will never be another Reba.

Steve from WI

When we lost our dog Betty, my husband and I were depressed for months. But we both believe that God created Adam only to watch over the animals he had already created. We believe that when we get to heaven the first question God will ask us is, “Did you take care of the animals that I put on earth to show what pure love is?” This keeps us going, because we can say yes, and hopefully will be united with our precious Betty.

Kathryn from IN

Hi Mark, just finished reading your wonderful book.I laughed and cried and felt reassured that there are people who are as devoted to their pets as we in our family are. Our “baby” is a lab retreiver cross who sleeps in our playroom and is the boss in our house.He is 5yrs old and is such a scaredy cat .Thank you Mark for the tears and laughter and for making us all aware that we are the lucky ones to have such devoted friends in our dogs.

Mary from Ireland

Oh my… how I cried after reading Rescuing Sprite. My heart ached for you and today I find out that my beloved companion of 13 1/2 years has cancer with a few months left if we’re lucky. I don’t know how you had the strength to make the decision of when to let Sprite go but now I’ll have to find that strength when its time for Morgan to leave us. God bless you Mark for letting us all know that we don’t go through this life alone and that others understand our broken hearts.

Debbie from MD

Perhaps, my writing would make someone angry. But it is the reality of the human reality.
I had enough experience in just a few years when my family and I had to live with the Khmer Rouge regime. We had seen dead people and the killings between human beings enough to brag for a life time atleast.

Now, we live in America where we value pet lives better than the lives of those who had lost their lives to their own human beings.

Sprite inspire me tremendously. I know now how much we shall respect to any lives on earth as we are all living together.

Thank you Mark for the courage to tell the true story.
God bless you.

Dara from CA (USMC)

We just recently lost our beloved boxer named Paisano (his name means “a good friend” in Italian) from Lymphoma(a form of cancer common in boxers). I read your book and it was unbelievable how much what you and your family went through reminded me of what we went through. He had good days and bad days, but he never complained. I cried so much and he would comfort me, wondering what I was so upset about. Our doctors told us to make a list of the things that he loves and when he cannot do those things, then it is time to let him go.

On Sunday October 21st(less than a month before his 4th birthday), he told us he had enough of fighting his cancer. My boyfriend and I layed on the floor and held him in our arms as he left this world. It was the worst thing I have ever been through, but I could not see him suffer any longer. I loved him too much for that. Less than a week later, I could not take the emptiness in our house and I found another boxer on a rescue website. She just happened to be at a foster home 5 minutes from our house. Two hours later we were her new parents and shopping at Petco with her. Unfortunately, she wasn’t as healthy as we thought and has been sick since we got her. I have brought her to the vet more times than I can count. She is now hopefully on the path to recovery, but no matter how much time we may have with her, I will love her and cherish everyday. I have learned that it is not the quantitiy of life that our pets have, but the quality of life that we give them. I have attached a picture of Paisano. God Bless.

Kimberly from MN