Mark, today I sent you my story about my beloved Cocker Spaniel, Gazebo. I had to share this with you as well, and perhaps, you can share this w/your radio listeners too. My fiance’ Joe, wrote me this poem after Gazebo passed. It’s beautiful and I hope you will love it as much as I do…. (more…)

Belle was a beautiful Sheltie. I had her for 16 years. I should say we had her. One day 16 years ago I piled my wife and the kids in the car and we went to a kennel club. I had the mistaken notion we could just LOOK. Wrong. All they had to do was put that puppy in our lap and it was all over. We paid entirely too much, were ripped off, but in the end she was a bargain at twice the price. Despite the promises of our 3 little ones I knew I would be the care giver, and honestly I relished the thought. Belle (the kids named her after the character in beauty and the beast) and I went to training school together (where I was trained) and we won 1st prize. Smart as a whip her and I enjoyed playing ball with the kids to chasing geese to long walks. She was always glad to see me come home. When I was separated and divorced she came with me. She was still there and still glad to see me home. When life caught up with her and she was too sick to move I took her to the vet and held her until she was gone. I look back and say what a life she had, and marvel at how she enriched my life and my childrens lives. Tired of coming home to an empty house I adopted a rescue dog. Buddy is now the happy face i see coming home. He was so skinny when we adopted him he was painful to look at, but he is now a healthy and happy dog. My Buddy. Thanks for the forum Mark. Good job…

David from NJ

Mark:
I am such a great fan of yours. I love to listen to your radio show.When I first heard about your book Rescuing Sprite, I told my wife i had to get this book.We are both animal lovers and have always had dogs and cats.

I never liked cats and my wife knew that.But one day a stray mama cat showed up at our house.We fed her and she stayed around, but I wouldn’t let her in the house.About a month later,we realized she was pregnant.As i got home from work one day,I was greeted with a surprise.She had three kittens and my wife had to help her deliver the first one because he was so big. We let our kids name them and my youngest named the big one Chubbs. (more…)

Mark, love your show along w/the others before and after you! When I listen to you, as well as, the listeners that call in, I can literally cry w/the stories of their beloved pets. I’m one such owner. I had a cocker spaniel named Gazebo, he was my boy for 15.5 yrs. I got him as a pup approx. 1 month after my dad’s sudden death, which also happened 11 days prior to my wedding day. Well, I got Gazebo to replace that void in my heart. I was newly married, just lost my dad, as well as, my best friend. Gazebo was intelligent,loving, and fresh. He knew who Grandma, Uncle Billy, Dad, Aunt Lisa was.. all I had to do is say where’s “Uncle Bill”.. he’d run up and on his lap. Gazebo also went thru a divorce with me, it was a rough time, but my boy was there, he knew my moods and helped me thru some horrific times. He never was kenneled, anytime I could not take him, I had a baby sitter.. in his own home, where he was comfortable. (more…)

My son talked his Mom into loaning him the money to buy a white registered Chow at a flea market here in town.
The little pup was only six weeks old and would fit in your hand and it would look like you were holding a piece of cloud.
My son was 16 at the time and he lived with us until he was 21 and we ” inherited’ the dog, Buster, when my son moved out.
We’ve had him ever since and he’s now 18 years old.
Last year he got down real bad with hip displaysia and eveyrone told me to put him down.

There was no way in Hell I was going to do that. (more…)

Casey, ever loyal.
Casey came from the SPCA as a puppy, and helped raise our children. He was part Golden Retriever, and all dog! Casey was very gentle with our children, and very protective when strangers came around. Our children would not think of leaving Casey for more than a few hours, and he rewarded the children with his undying love and loyalty. Casey lived to be twelve years old, long enough for our youngest to become a teenager. Then Casey’s health gave out, and as his heart was giving way to old age, I awakened one morning to find my wife in tears as she tried to give water to Casey and keep him comfortable until I was up. I will never forget how my wife cried as she asked me to take Casey to the vet so the vet could “take care of him.” That was the longest two miles I ever drove, and I wept for a while after telling Casey good-bye and God Bless.

Judge Mark from TX