I have not read your book yet, but plan to soon. My husband and I share our home with five lovable pooches. Some adopted and some give aways. One in particular I wanted to tell you about. Her name is Sydney. I work for a local rescue organization and we got a call about four great pyrenees mix pups that were about to be euthanized. There was one pup that seemed to watch my every move. We bonded instantly and I named her Sydney. She was a blonde and white ball of fluff. I took her home to get her ready for adoption while my friend Pat took the other three to rescue. Well, my husband and I ended up adopting Sydney. We had her for one weekend and took her to the vet for a check up that Monday. Monday night she got very sick. It was parvo. I stayed up with her all night giving her pedialyte, rubbing her, cleaning up her messes. I rushed her to the vet first thing the next morning. I was waiting in the parking lot for them to open. They kept her a week. I called everyday twice a day to check on that little baby. Well…Sydney is almost two now and as healthy as can be. I just think of her and wonder how she almost lost her life twice. Once to being on the line of euthanization because noone wanted her and almost dying of parvo. She is a great dog and we love her dearly.
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I love these stories. I am such a big baby when it comes to my pets…I just can’t write about them. I will one day. I sent you a snippet on Fifi my beloved dog who is half poodle and half wheaten terrior. She is such a joy to me. Like the fellow from VA, my pup has seen me through some difficult times. She is 14 next month and I do all I can to make sure she is healthy. I am buying your book online but don’t know when I will be able to read it. I have so much going on right now that I can not afford to start crying.

When my daughter moved to NYC two weeks after 9/11 to work at Fox on the ave of Americas…I had to put my dalmation down. That dog drove me nuts. I got her when she was about 4 and her training was so slack that she suffered terrible anxiety. She chewed up my sheers that I custom made; the material cost me hundreds…such big windows…and sundry other items that I loved. But I loved this dog. And when I stood by as the Vet put her down I sobbed as I did when my brother died. I cried so hard the vet called to see if I was OK. It is a hard thing to do. And yet because you love them you do what you must. I know I will see Jazz again..and she will run to me so hard she will almost knock me over…and that brings me comfort. Animals draw out of me a nuturing compassion that my heart can’t ignore. I can’t go to shelters…I would be depressed for months, but I can support them.

Thank you for all you do for this nation. And thank you for highlighting the preciousness of life in all forms; even the furry kind. That is what makes us uniquely American. WE treat our animals better them some nations treat their own citizens. It is a matter of the goodness of heart that we are taught, in synagogue, church, home good books and movies.That speaks volumes about us as a people. We are good people that celebrate the gift of life and do all we can to protect it’s sanctity, at every level. I am proud of that and my country.
Love you Mark!
Ruth from NY

I jsut wanted to let you know that I finished “Rescuing Sprite” last night with tears sptraming down my face. My wife asks, “Why do you read something that will get you depressed”? I responded, “This is a book about love. I HAVE to read it!”

Our family has a Pomeranian named Pepper. He will be 11 years only any day now, not sure of the date, but he was born sometime in November or early December of 1996. We got him for the kids for Christmas in 1998.

He suffers from epilepsey, which is somewhat controlled with the Phenobarbital prescribed twice daily. He loves he “daily medicine”, which is given to him in a clump of cheese. He is also starting to show signs of age, and another, perhaps mental abnormality that affects his ability to move his hind legs (until you offer him a “NACK” (the baby talk we use for his snacks or treats he gets for going outside and coming right back. When he hears the work nack, he suddenly forgets he cannot move his hind legs and all is well!

He, too, provides us unconditional love. Is so excited when we come home, or when I have to travel (a couple of days each week), he jumps all around and in my lap, licking my face continutally welcoming me home.

Thank you for your book you gave to the world!

Good Bless You and your family. Happy Haunukkah and Merry Christmas!

Clayton from FL

After years of growing up with dogs, I’d like to share my story about my german sheppard, Brandy. Brandy came to us, on a random occurrence on a visit to the vet, caring for another pet we had. The young girl was so cute the litter with all males. She was the one girl. After just losing a sheppard in a car accident, my dad, brother and i thought that it was a sign from above… we made arrangements to have the pup picked up in few weeks… The dog came home and was an immediate hit in the family for over 14 years. I literally grew up with the dog from high school, college and the start of my career; knowing that when I would get home from a swim meet or a long time away at school i would always come home and see the dog. She was a pleasure. Even though my mom told us we’d have to keep Brandy outside in a custom built home is was our protector – barking whenever anyone she didn’t recognize came into the yard. But as with any dog – age got to her… After a yearly visit to the vet, we asked him if the bump on Brandy’s left front leg was anything big – a biopsy was done and it was concluded to be a non cancerous tumor, however the doc said as long as dog had no adverse effects, she’d be fine. Brandy held on for another 5-plus years but as the years went on the tumor grew bigger each year until it came to the point that she could walk at all… We said good-bye to her several years ago – however the family never forgets…

David from NJ

I have had a few dogs in my life. I have had to put 2 of them to sleep and to this day I still feel the emotions when I think about it.

But the story I want to talk about now is not resolved one way or another.

Bernie is a Terrior/Lab mix we got for my son 6 years ago when he was 17. My son, Sean, was troubled at the time and wanted a dog. So he chose a rescue dog from the shelter.

Bernie and Sean were inseperable for many years. My son’s problems became worse and eventually he moved out.

Suddenly, Bernie was left like the little toy soldier on the shelf. We thought he would just adapt to being part of the family even if Sean left—but no dice.
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Presently we have two dogs, candy and cola. Our first dog Pepsi died May 25,2000 and I still miss her. We adopted Candy only to find our that she is deaf, has water on the brain and a deformed skull. We were told that she would live a year, but now she is still around 7 years later.When we livewd in Indiana we toke her to Purdue to find out that she was 20% deaf, able to hear sounds of high pitches but not able to understand what she hears. Our third dog , Sammie who is deceased was a 7 1/2 yo Maltese which my wife found wondering across a busy highway. She brought him home and discovered that he was covered with feces and was frightened. We cleaned him and proceeded to call area vets to find out if a lost and found notice was posted. The next day we took him to our vet and found out that whoever had him threw him out of a moving car and cracked his spine. He also had spots on his back that looked like freckles, however they were cigarette burns. I am choked up just talking about it. After about a year and half of enjoying him it started to have a health problem. For 6 straight days we took him to our vet but never was able to assertain what the problem was. On the seventh day he had a tough time breathing so we rushed him to the emergency vet office at 8 p.m. They took him in the back and placed him in an oxygen box and he seemed better.
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