Hello, Mark – I am a devoted listener and also a person who can’t imagine my life without a dog in it.

When I was a teenager my family had a chihuahua named Poncho. He was large for a Chihuahua, about 10 lbs., and unlike many Chihuahuas rarely barked and loved everyone he met.

It seemed like Poncho loved my father, mother and me pretty much equally, but in truth I guess he was more devoted to my father. He knew when it was time for my father to get home from work and would jump up on the sofa and watch out the window until he saw my father’s car turn the corner onto our street. Then his tail started wagging so hard it would somtimes knock him off the back of the sofa. My dad could never sneak home and surprise him.

My mother always claimed she never cared a thing in the world about that dog, but if he ever got sick or injured, she was the one who nursed him back to health. When he was hurt, she would fix him all the food he loved – mainly fried chicken livers and gizzards, and cut them up into bite-sized portions for him and watch him like a mother hen. Once, I even caught him sleeping in bed with her so she could keep an eye on him. Read the rest of this entry »

HELLO, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A STORY FROM A DOGS MOUTH WHO WAS RECENTLY RESCUED BY THIS WRITER: DARKNESS SURROUNDED ME AND MUD CLUMPED IN MY FUR. I LOOKED UP TO SEE THE GLOWING MANSION I WAS ONCE PART OF. I MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG,THEY HATED ME. A CHAIN, STRANGLED MY FREEDOM. A WOODEN BOX, STOLE MY COMFORT, FOOD WAS NOT ON MY SCHEDULE, NO ONE LOVED ME. DAYLIGHT CAME AND WENT YET I REMAINED IN THAT CORNER. CHILDREN GIGGLED AND PLAYED IN THE STREETS WITH FRIENDS. WHEN THEY LEFT FOR SCHOOL, I CRIED AND WHIMPERED FOR ANYONE. I WAS IGNORED: FORGOTTEN, UNCARED FOR.

ONCE, WHEN I WAS JUST A PUPPY, I TRIED TO ESCAPE. PAIN SEARED THROUGH MY SKULL FROM A SHOVEL. BRUISES FROM THE STRONG KICKS TO MY RIBS.. THAT WAS THE LAST RECOGNITION FROM MY OWNERS. I DECIDED BEING ALONE WAS BETTER THAN ABUSE, YET MY STOMACH YEARNED FOR MORE FOOD. A LITTLE GIRL, SOMETIMES CAME AND VISITED. I HEARD HER YOUNG LAUGHTER AND SWEET VOICE. HER BLONDE HAIR BLEW IN THE WIND. SHE WAS MISSING HER TWO FRONT TEETH. SHE BROUGHT ME FOOD AND WATER, I LOVED THAT GIRL..ONE DAY, A WOMAN CAME, A CRATE IN HAND. SHE PLACED ME INSIDE AND TOLD ME I WOULD SURVIVE. I WAITED IN THE VAN FOR SOMEONE TO SAVE ME. ALL I NEEDED WAS LOVE AND A FAMILY. COULD MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED? WOULD SOMEONE LOVE ME? WOULD THEY FEED ME? OR WAS I BEING PLACED IN ANOTHER NIGHTMARE? WOULD I BE NEGLECTED>? AND HURT? AGAIN? I WAS TAKEN FROM THE VAN, CARRIED INTO A WHITE OFFICE THAT READ “S.P.C.A”. OVER A PERIOD OF A WEEK I WAS TESTED AND WATCHED. THE ROOM WAS BRIGHT AND I HAD A PLACE JUST FOR ME. THE DOOR SWUNG OPEN AND I SAW INNUMERABLE PEOPLE PASS. Read the rest of this entry »

Mark,
I just finished reading Rescuing Sprite and I can’t tell you any book that I’ve read that made me cry and laugh more than this one. It felt pure joy and almost unbearable sorrow as I read this. I need to thank you for allowing me into your family’s experiences with this remarkable family member and I wanted to share a little bit of mine. Isn’t it incredible how the human mind is able to love so deeply! Although the inital loss of a 4 legged family member is almost too much to handle, the pain does cease in time and In place of the pain, we are eventually left with smiles and warm memories. I have been an animal lover all my life and I am an old woman now. I have had the priveledge of sharing my life with many dogs and within the past few years, I have added cats to my family. I remember each and every one who has passed and can recall the unique experiences I shared with each. Regardless of the pain involved in losing one, I will never stop sharing my life with my companions. I currently have 7 cats and 5 dogs and they all give me great comfort and enjoyment. I work closely with local animal rescue chapters and no-kill facilities. I will soon be volunteering my time to help educate the publc in the importance of spaying and neutering. Each and every one of by pets is precious to me. For each of those that I have lost I want to use this forum to express a little bit of my memories and I hope your readers will do the same.
I’ll keep this just to the dogs.

Katie: We just put her to sleep last week and you know I am still mourning. She was approximately 16 and a Jack Russell mix. Katie came from a local animal control facility and was destined to be put down within days. She had a strange way of snarling and baring her teeth as she rolled onto her back to be petted. Never mean, just expressed love in an odd way.

Tippy: My first dog, some sort of very small terrier. I had always been told that she ran away when I was 6. It wasn’t until just before my father died 2 years ago that he finally told me that he was hit by a car. Tippy ate bananas. Read the rest of this entry »

I put my dog down today. I have been reading Mr. Levin’s book about Sprite and for the first time in a month I woke up happy. I have been living with the knowledge for the past month that today was the day that I would lose my best friend. I have lost a dog before. I was 16 at the time. I feel much more lucid this time. Much more aware of my loss.

My dog Jake has been with me for the absolute worst times in my life. For the first time in my life I feel truly alone. As I type this I feel utter despair. Jake was a very special dog. I can never forget the joy he has brought me and the fact that he was my island when everything in my world was at its worst. As I sit here I can’t stop the tears from falling down my face. The reason I woke happy today is that I knew that it was time to let him go. I know everyone has most likely said it, but I feel the need to say it again. THANK YOU Mr. Levin for writing this book. I was halfway though it last night when I finally felt better about what was going to happen. Jake you will always be in my heart. You are and always will be my best friend and I will never forget you.

David from MI

Hi Mark
I’ve just finished reading Rescuing Sprite. Absolutely wonderful and written from the heart. I lost my beautiful boy Kane aged 9 on December 20th 2007. He was a rescue dog who I took in when he was 8 months old. He had been bred on a puppy farm, taken to a pet shop at age of 6 weeks, sold at 8 weeks, then resold again at 12 weeks. Had been kept outside as owner said he kept running off with kids toys. Well that’s what labradors do.

When he came to me he was manic, the dog from hell, but with lots of love and kindness he matured into a wonderful companion whwo gave unconditonal love. He was such a character, always up to some mischief. In summer he loved to pick apples from the tree and would stand underneath looking up to decide which apple looked the best, then he wouold leap up grab the apple and hang on until it gave way and he then ran round the garden in delight before settling down to eat it.

Kane became unwell very suddenly at the end of December, vet did tests but nothing showed up. On December 17th I had to rush Kane to the emergency vet at midnight as he collapsed. Read the rest of this entry »

I lost a pit bull many years ago who was my best friend because a neighbor was intimidated by his looks even though he was just a big baby no more dangerouse than a poodle. he was poisoned just because he was a big dog. i will never stop missing him and i still carry his dogtag on my keychain and have for 12 years thanks for caring so much for animals and the people who love them. sorry i have not got a copy of your book yet but im not sure what reading it might bring back.

Kevin from KY