When my family decided it was time to get a family pet, we ( the kids and I) spent many hours at local pet stores and animal shelters. Despite the time we spent holding and walking different dogs, we never found the “right” one for us.
One Saturday, we stopped by the Humane Society and there was a female Chocolate Lab who had just been brought in. She had just had a litter of puppies (within the past 48 hours) and had then been abandoned. No trace of the puppies was ever found but she was a mess. In spite of her poor physical condition and emotional distress, there was something about her that caused all of us to feel an immediate bond with her. We decided to come back in a day or two when she was feeling better. We came back 2 days later specifically to see her, only to be told that she had just been spayed and was still in great physical and emotional distress. Nevertheless, in spite of her difficulties, she tried her best to put on a good face. We immediately saw the character and integrity of this beautiful animal and we all fell deeply in love with her with her.
We took immediate steps to ensure that she would come home with us at the earliest possible moment. She had been given a shelter name by the volunteers at the Society. We renamed her Sophie and took her home with us, where she remains to this day: a faithful, loyal, beautiful member of our family.

Spencer from MT

Dear Mark:

I have been listening to you for the last six months and I so appreciate the way that you point out that we conservatives are some of the most generous and compassionate people on the earth. One of the ways that shows is our love for our animals.

I am on my third dog. My last two were adopted. I had to put down my second dog, Posey, February 2007, shortly after breaking my arm. Posey was a gorgeous yellow lab who was loved by everyone for her gentle and compliant spirit. I adopted her at age 6 from a vet who bred her and did not like her. Three years later she was full of breast cancer probably because she was not spayed early in life. I spent $1000 on her surgery and recovery. She and I had a wonderful, full summer of 2006. Posey loved to sit outside while I washed my car. The neighbors would all stop to pet her and greet her. She tolerated my neighbor’s pushy and obnoxious male schnauzer who was really mean to her at times. (more…)

Captain was a large Springer spaniel red bone mix. (And a few other breeds) He looked like a large Springer spaniel with a long tail, liver and white in color about 50-60 pounds. He was truly a special dog. We got him just before I got off active duty in the Navy in 1979. My future wife at that time kept him at her house with her parents.

He was the smartest dog I ever had or presently have. I could put a biscuit on his nose and tell him to “watch it” and he would go cross eyed and drool looking at the biscuit on his nose until I told him to get it. He would flip the biscuit in the air and catch it.

He would ride in my passenger seat in my truck with his head out the window and his ears would flap in the wind. When I had a bad day at work, he would sit at my side and give me that look to tell me don’t worry, work sucks but you will get through it.

We would take him to the Delaware River to go swimming with us. He loved that. We called him “claws” when he did the doggie paddle to keep up to us. We had a good life together for 13 years. He was my buddy, the home security protector, and kid protector/watcher. My daughters and wife loved him too.
In the winter he would lay by the wood stove and when he got hot and started to “smoke” he would turn over to warm the other side.

As he got older he would slow down. We knew that some day the inevitable would come.
I didn’t want to think of it because he was my buddy and I couldn’t imagine being without him. I wanted him to live forever. But I wasn’t being realistic. (more…)

Roxie was a Rottwiler. She came to us to be with my wife while I worked nights. She made every step my wife made and although very loving could be agressive when ever some one she did not know came near my wife, especially men. When told it was ok she sould settel down. After 9 years she began to shake her head and snort. My wife took her to the Vet. She had developet a tumor at the back of her soft pallet. It was inoperable due to the vascular nature of the area. My Wife would not put her down. She took her home with medication to keep her comfortable. On her last night, at about 4:00 am she got up and walked into evry room of our house, looked around, came back to my wife who had been sitting up with her, laid that big head in my wife’s lap, took a deep breath and died. My wife would not let anyone help her, she bured her in the back yard on her dog bed. My wife said she would never have another dog until she found, quite by accident, an English Mastif, female, that was born on the same day that Roxie died. Freya now makes every step my wife does and is a lap dog.

Tim from LA

I had forgotten I wrote this.

How can I let you go?

Tonight while you sleep at the foot of my bed like you’ve done for near 14 years
I know this will be our last night together and I can’t possibly control my tears.
I can’t keep you here even though my heart breaks but how can I let you go?
How can I convey my love for you? I only can prey that you know.

My faithful friend, my beautiful girl, the pick of the litter to me.
It was love at first kiss, you won my heart; It was just so plain to see
Did you choose me or did I choose you …my cherish friend for so long.
I s there a dog heaven? Will I see you again? God, please help me to be strong.
I remember the scent of your sweet puppy breath, I remember when your eyes started to see
I truly believe that the moment we met, that we were meant to be..

Now the time has come to make the choice for you&I’d give anything if it weren’t so.
My heart caves at the thought, my tears cannot be stopped… but I have to let you go.
I’ll call the vet tin the morning to come here and do what I can hardly conceive
’I’d do anything if it weren‘t so . I just don’t want to believe.
That our time through? It seems to be too soon? Have the years just slipped away?
But I still see it so clear the day when we brought you home. What a wonderful day. (more…)

I know exactly what Mr. Levin has been through. A few years ago we had to put down our dog Sprite, a Husky/Shephard mix. It was the hardest thing to do, but we knew it was for the best due to his declining health. He continues to remain in my heart and I think about him all the time. Since then, I have adopted two Shih Tzu’s, Corky and Murray, from a rescue. They have filled the void in my heart from the loss of Sprite. It is amazing the constant, unconditional love a dog gives a person! When I saw the title of Mr. Levin’s book, I felt completely compelled to read it. What a heart-warming story of companionship and faithfulness!

Marcie from KY