My family and I recently had to make the difficult decision to put our precious Greyhound, Hornet to sleep. We rescued our big guy in 1999 from the Birmingham race track (our Hornet even had his own record there). He was such a good sport when we added to our family with 2 human babies…he complained a little but loved them with all of his heart. Our big guy lost the use of his back legs so we decided that it was time for him to leave this world. My husband was with him when they gave him the last shot and as if he knew how bad his daddy’s heart was hurting, he looked up, wagged his big boney tail and said good-bye.
Thank you, Mark for writing this book!

Kelly from AL

Mark: Many thanks for writing this book. I assure you it will help anyone that is experiencing this grief. It is the most awful feeling I can only decribe it as an empty hole. Last Friday November 2nd 2007 we had to put our Boxer, Buster to sleep. Like you, we adopted Buster and he was the light of our life. We were blessed with ten years but hardly enough…..

Thanks again

Mario from AZ

In January we bought a rotweiller puppy. His name was Sammy. He was the most loving puppy you have ever seen (and I have two Labrador retrievers).

The other dogs loved Sammy and would play so gently with him. On Saturday, March 17, we went to the store and was gone for about thirty minutes and put the dogs in the back yard.

When we returned, the puppy was lying next to the back door and was bleeding. He had a single puncture wound on his belly near his rear leg. He was in a great deal of pain.

We took him to an animal emergency room in the city next to ours. They gave him intravenous pain medication. They wanted to x-ray him to ensure that he did not have a broken leg (which we immediately agreed to). Prior to x-raying, they sedated the puppy. His leg was not broken.
(more…)

Excerpt from “A DOG HAIKU”

Look in my eyes and
Deny it. No human could
Love you as I do.

Will from PA

One never understands the unconditional love of a dog until one experiences it.

Recently we were forced into the painful decision to let an adored Ibizan Hound named Pico de Gallo go on ahead of us.

Pico was always happy and enthusiastic about everything….food and walks and children. At 13 1/2 years old he was in human years 110, yet he still jumped and bounced around when you asked him if he wanted to go for a walk, or if he’d like a baby carrot (his candy). His arthritis had to have been very painful toward the end, but he never cried or whined. I guess you would have to say, he really sufferered in silence.

When the time came, because he hated the car so much, we put his leach on and my husband and I walked him 1/2 mile to the vet, early one Arizona summer morning when the pavement was still cool enough on his feet. This was our first experience at being present to say goodbye and watch our a beloved pet close his big amber eyes for the last time. I weep profusely as I write this, even though it has been several months now. He was a treasure.

Soon, we will get a grip and adopt another dog into our lives. How could anyone be without the love of a dog?

The photograph was taken the morning we bid goodbye to this prince of a dog.

Nancy from AZ

I listened today to the radio and her you on hannity .I was walking on my treat mil and after a while I started crying by the story you told about sprite.

I love animals but especially dogs. They are my life and can’t live without them. We bought a dog (pip) at a pet store. Jeez now 6 years ago and so she is six. She has her own personality but a sweet lady. then years ago about three years ago now i watched TV and saw this rat terrier on TV lived on the streets and was picked up by humane society. Then went to people who gave it back after a week. Saw him again on TV. Again went to other people he was eating furniture they said and again ended up at humane.Then The third time I could not stand it no more and ended up calling to meet Scout. We went (my husband and me) and I was right away in love with this dog. I was lying on the floor to just be close to him,and let him come to me. They didn’t know much about his background then he was hit by a car couldn’t tell how old he really was and that he has no hip on one leg.But can walk pretty fine with that on his four legs. We went back later with pip to see if the two connected. They right away where big pals.

So we took scout home.He never broke any furniture and my two dogs are great together. He became very close to me and they are my pals. I am grateful that i took action that day.But also think this was meant to happen. He belongs in our family. I hope we have them for a long time.Would I rescue again.OO hell yeah. just they other day we had found another dog in the street . She came and we waited for the Humane to pick her up But right away I was saying ;”If she doesn’t have a home I will take her” We called a day later and she was picked up by her family. I was happy that she made it home.
But Damn Mark you made me cry only to talk on hannity about Sprite.

Eva from CA