I just finished reading your book which I received on Thanksgiving from my sister-in-law.I know she was aware of my heartbreak and slow recovery from dealing with having to put my Peaches to sleep after 15 years of unconditional love and support.My Peaches was not only my closest friend,she was my soulmate who got me through lost jobs,failed relationships, family sickness and deaths.I couldn’t ask for a better friend.She went to work with me each day,waiting in the car while I made my sales calls.She was with me more than my children were.Its been 8 weeks and it has not gotten any easier.Upon reading your book though, I have to admit I did feel a little better realizing that you have suffered just as I have and I have been able to relate better to your experiences than I have to any one else yet.Thank you for writing the book.

Linda from NY

I just finished reading “Rescuing Sprite”, and I was so touched, I had to write to tell you. It was a wonderful book, and brought back so many memories of the dogs I have had, all having passed on. I lost my last dog “Brandy”, just a week after my husband passed away. That was probably the toughest time I ever had. She was having seizures, was about 13, and such a joy to both of us. The one before her was “Cindy”, who developed a tumor in her chest and we had to put her to sleep at 17. They were all Cockers. It has been 3 years since my husband and Brandy died, and I am finally thinking of getting another dog. After reading your book, I know it won’t be long before I do. I am older now, and will adopt an older dog from the Humane Society, one who needs me as much as I need them. Thankyou Mark for the wonderful book, and I pray for you and your family, and of course, Pepsi, Griffin, and your “Spritey”.

Marlene from MN

Just finished reading Rescuing Sprite. I must say, I cried. And I’m not a crier. Thank the Levins for adopting Griffen, another oldie but goodie. And thank you ,Mr. Levin, for your story.

I live in a rural area that is a favorite dumping place for the unwanted…and sometimes just plain lost. Often, it is just a little bit scary to open the door in the morning to see who might have wandered up needing a place to be.

Old and infirm, young and spunky, baskets of kittens and pups.

I can find homes for some..some of them..not so much. So here they stay and give the exquisite gift of their love. Sometimes the time given to me is brief (in my mind at least) due to their health. Sometimes, they live for years and become a fixture in my life. And some, much like Sprite and Mr. Levin, I develope a special connection with.

I can’t begin to tell all the stories. But whatever the circumstance, when it comes time to take that “last ride” together, as I hold them for the last time, if I close my eyes for just and instant…my mind plays a trick on me. I see them young, well and “running proud”. Maybe I have done the best..and all I could have done.

Pat from TX

Eleven years ago my husband and I purchased a little Border Collie mix from a pet shop. We were going to give this cute little black fur ball to his mom and dad for Christmas. Two weeks after we had given him as a gift, my husband’s parents didn’t want him. I cried until my husband gave in and let us keep him. We named him Shadow. Upon taking him back, he had a seizure one afternoon. I rushed him to our vets, and discovered that he had epilepsy. The vet said he had been hit in the head several times, and this was the cause. We didn’t speak to his parents for two years following this. Finally, I said we had to learn to forgive. In the hectic everyday life of ours, Shadow was the stability. Along the way Shadow developed Auto Imune Arthritis. He was on medication morning and night. I would do it for a million years if I had to. We also have a Greater Swiss Mountain/Blue Healer mix. We got him at Lifeline Pet Rescue.

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I have been listening to you talk about Sprite and wanted to tell you about my baby ‘Oscar’.

We got Oscar, a cocker spaniel puppy, about 5 months before the birth of my daughter. When he was about a year old, he began to have seizures. After many months and thousands of dollars worth of tests, we were told that not only was he epileptic but that he also had congeniatal heart and liver problems. The vet told us that, while he was having no pain or discomfort and he could be managed with medication, we should not count on him living to be much older than 3-4 years. In addition to those problems, he was diagnosed with Cushing’s Disease about a year before he died requiring yet another medication.
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A friend of mine who was a WWII veteran received a Cock-A-Poo puppy named Misty to keep him company. She was a good companion until his eighth heart attack finally ended his life. I did sneak her into the VA hospital in a cardboard box to see him before his passing. One of his last requests was I take care of Misty. Being single and just getting out of the Air Force made owning a dog interesting. She witnessed a lot of ups and downs including the near destruction of my life. The health of Misty failed quickly in the fifteen year of her life. Failing eye site and not being able to control her body was hard to witness. I finally had to take her to the vet to be put asleep. I could not bear to drive by the vet’s office for a long, long time. There is a wide range of views on pets going to Heaven. I think they will be there so we can apologize and thank them. We are the lucky ones.

Allen from OH