Rescuing Sprite is a wonderful book. I had a hard time getting through the part when you had to put him down. I cried and put the book down for it broke my heart. I lost my sweet German Shorthir Pointer named Montana in June of 2006. He was so specail and was one of a kind. We have a swimming pool and when the kids were swimming he would run aroound the pool and throw his tennis ball in and wait for the kids to throw it back to him. He would stay out there the entire time they were there. He had cancer and toward the end when he was weak and tired he still would run around the pool.

At the end it was so hard to watch him make his rounds around the pool because he was so weak but he would not stop. I had to make him come in so he could rest. At the time I had two other Shorthairs and while they chased squirrels all day, Montana stayed inside and followed me around the house instead of hunting like the other two. I still cry when I think about him. I feel so guilty because when we took him to the Vet to put him down I could not go in the room. I couldn’t bare the pain of watching him die. I sometimes wonder if people who are not dog lovers can begin the understand how much it hurts us when we lose our pets. I only wish God would let them stay with us for more than a few short years. I do believe dogs go the heaven and will be waiting for us.

Jan from OK

I just finished reading Rescuing Sprite and cried most of the way through it because I have lived with the pain of pet loss three times and currently have two Labs.

My first Lab was a gift while I was in the Navy. He lived with me 14 years until he died from Bone and Cartilage Cancer. God did’t let him die in his sleep, I had to put him to sleep when he could no longer eat and was in so much pain that even petting him hurt him. I got him the best of care, even going to the Univ. of PA Vet School but there was nothing to be done for him.

My heart still breaks and I still cry over his loss when I think of him. He died in 1992. My second was a rescue who had been left on the streets to starve to death as a puppy. She came when Smokey (the first one) was 9-1/2 years old. I got her from the Humane Society when she was 6 months old – emaciated and so ill that my Vet was sure she would die within the week – she lived with me and cuddled in bed with me for 11-1/2 more years.

Her name was Honey Girl because she was so sweet. She went so quickly with a rapidly progressing paralysis over 3 days. She was in the office with me daily and my patients felt her loss almost as much as I did. My third was also a resuce but had been so abused that he had a very mean streak and had to be put down when he bit me as I was caring for him. My current ones are also rescues and the younger one, now 6 years old, is also in my office with me daily. I am a Family Physician and see all ages of patients. Sometimes I think the patients come to have time with Abby almost as much as to see me. Abby was left in an apartment without food and water for a week when she was 8 weeks old. I am the third owner for the older dog who stays at home. He also had a rough start in life and the second owners trained him but decided he was too much to care for after having him for 3 years. He is a Yellow Lab named Midas. The others were or are Black Labs. My husband, like you, didn’t want dogs but I had two when he married me and he now realizes that we will always have at least one.
Remember: There are only two sources of unconditional love in this world – God and a Dog and Dog is God spelled backwards.

Sorry, I have no photos but I have not learned how to put my pictures on a computer yet.

Elizabeth from PA

I have read your book and it was great. I have not lost my dog, but your book made me appreciate and love my dog even more – something I did not think was possible.

After reading your book – something dawned on me and I wanted to share those thoughts with you.

Soemtimes we are caught in the net of destiny – totally unaware of it at the time. I believe that was what happened to you.

You and your family adopted a dog named Sprite – gave him a really good home – loved him with great intensity – saved him from untold dreadful experiences.

It was a tragedy that you lost Sprite, but perhaps it happened for reasons that could not be foreseen. It was your deeply devoted love for Sprite that caused you to share you experiences through a book. This book has touched many thousands of people deep within their souls – giving them a way to grieve for their own loss – something they may not have been able to do without your book.

It is truly unfortunate that Sprite had to leave, but the legacy he has left behind is truly amazing. His name will be remembered by all the people you have touched through your book – a book that would not exist if you – in your position and popular public figure had not been there to write it. Every time I look at my dog – I think of Sprite and what a great dog he was – how truly blessed you were to have spent time with him – how blessed I am to have a dog of my own to love and cherish.

I believe that Sprite fulfilled his destiny and did so with your help. He has helped so many with their grief. What greater destiny could any one of us even hope for.

God bless you and your family.

peace – love – happiness

Phil from TX

Mark,
As I read your book, I feel in love with your dogs, too. I have 4 small dogs, 3 of which are rescues. My adopted daughter did the rescuing.

Her latest rescue was November 2006. Amanda called me at work from her car in her office parking lot. She was distressed as she told me that a manager there was going to put a dog down because “she didn’t get along with the poodle” and “just sits in her cage all day.” She asked me if she could bring this dog home. I was used to saying yes to her by now, so “Yes! Get the dog” it was.

Amanda bought home a female Maltese, with her ear tattooed with her ID, worn down teeth from cage biting, four missing teeth, clean fur and trimmed nails. As sweet as could be. The owner said she was 6 years old. Amanda named her Lulu after a nice lady in her office. We made a vet appointment immediately. We wanted her spayed and a hard little lump on her belly needed to be checked out. The vet thought it could be a beebee cover with scar tissue. We’ll know during spay surgery. And by the way, this dog is not 6 years old. Her health puts her at least 10 years old.

Here’s the worst part, Mark. During surgery, I got a call from my distraught daughter. Lulu’s lump is cancer and she has 3 tumors in her mammary glands. Do we give the vet permission to excise them? “Yes, please save Lulu! I don’t care what it costs.”

After surgery, the vet told us Lulu will recover from the triple mastectomy. However she has a heart murmur and an enlarged heart. Her right hind knee has patella luxation, which is a knee that dislocated easily. No wonder she won’t do stairs! We carry her up and down stairs. She also had 6 teeth removed during her teeth cleaning.

We took Lulu to a heart specialist. With just 2 pills a day, she can live a good life, just don’t let her get exhausted.

Lulu has been a very happy addition to our family for over a year now!! We just love her. There are no cages in her life, she has a big back yard and 3 other dogs for company (and several rescued cats).

I gave your book to my sister who loved and lost several dogs, too.

Janice from NY

Mark, I finished your book in one sitting and with a very wet t-shirt! Tears flowed from my eyes. Im going to lend this book to my mom tomorrow.

I have always grown up with dogs. We had one special girl named Lady, she passed in her sleep last year. She was over 15 years old and for a goldie thats good many years. Lady was a very broad goldie and never minded when children crawled onto her back. She loving cleaned the beagles in the house that were brought in after her. If fact we had two litter’s of puppies and Lady was like a mom to them.

When I moved out of my parents house. I went to the local shelter and got my Chloe Bug. She has a thyroid problem now but we are in the path of correcting it. Two years after Chloe, Annabell was dropped off in the middle of winter (6 wks old mind u) in the middle of my town. I begged my then boyfriend to get her and bring her home to me. He did and now she’s (hopefully) pregnant with her first litter. She is the calmest, beagle I have known,She will look deeply into your eyes as if to say I feel you. Then I found my Miss Molly (muttly) walking down my street over a year ago. I wouldnt know where to be without my dogs. I wouldnt have got through the times I had without them.

I lost a cousin 8 years ago to a tragic car wreck and my dogs always seem to bring me out of the depressive state I get into during the anniversary. They have their antics, and attitudes. I just had to break up a small squabbled before I sat down and wrote this. Thank you for sharing everything you did. For opening up your hearts and allowing millions to see and feel what you did.

Sincerely,

Ashley from OH

Moby… How do I describe him? I truly believe there are masters in this world, masters that are teachers and teachers that come in all phases of thought and form. I have met a few in this lifetime that I consider “Great Teachers” and they don’t always appear in human form. Moby was a 5lb yorkshire terrier. I don’t believe I have ever met a kinder soul. This incredible little being was a true gentleman in all the descriptive senses of the word. He taught me so much. Kindness, patience, dedication, true friendship, joy, gentleness, loyalty and love. A soul, a very wise soul encompassed in a small furry body.

I question; is this why we’re here on this earth, all of us together? Are we here to learn from each other no matter what type costume our bodies are made up of? Moby had the most quiet and seemingly understanding nature. During his 14 1/2 years of life, I was forever learning from this gentle little being. Even after his stroke, he worked and struggled to still try to give me a kiss. His memory lays deeply embedded in my heart forever. Thank You Moby.
April 23, 1993 – Jan. 12, 2008

Susan from CA