Mark, I lost my precious chocolate lab Heidi Dec. 7th this year at the same time you lost Sprite. I cannot believe how similar our stories are. End the life of a beloved friend shouldn’t be easy. The guilt I felt was beyond what I could have imagined. Combined with a grief like I have never experienced.

My mother gave me your book for Christmas and I just finished it New Year’s night. While I come from the opposite end of the political spectrum, We will always be brothers because of our relationships with dogs. Two days before Christmas I adopted a shelter dog to fill the hole in my heart. I can see that we have healed each other. To know what love is requires risk. That in turn sets us up for pain but the love and joy are more powerful.

Robert from MI

Mark,

I just finished your book and it was great! What drew me to your book was your two dogs’ names Pepsi and Sprite. My Sprite was born on June the 2nd 1998 and his mother’s name was Pepsi. We were living in IL at the time and had just lost a wonderful dog by the name of WeBit. My other dog Thunder was lonely for her friend so we find a dog in the want ads. When we went to visit we fell in love with this cute puppy that was more white than yellow and my two sons decided that we should name him Sprite.

My Sprite just died this morning at 0410. He had Lymphoma/Leukemia. He was diagnosed with this disease in early October. We took him to a Cancer vet in Seattle where he was treated and his life was extended until today. Because we knew this was coming we picked up a puppy so that our other dog, Scamp, would not be terribly. Scamp has lived with Sprite since he was five weeks old and we wanted him to have a buddy when Sprite finally left. We saw what happen to Sprite we Thunder died in Dec 2000 after being hit by a car. Sprite went from being a two year old puppy and lost interest in chasing and retrieving balls and not wanting to stay outside for long periods of time like he had as a younger dog. I am sure Scamp will ultimately be affected by the loss of Sprite, but he has come to accept Loki as part of the pack and hopefully he will stay himself.

I guess that’s it for now I have had many dogs over the past 31 years. They have all been characters with their own personality. I have had the make the decision twice to put dogs down and twice we lost dogs tragically. While we knew Sprite’s days were numbered, yesterday when we went to bed I thought I would being making that tough decision today. God was kind to us all and took him in his sleep.

Ron from WA

I got “Rescuing Sprite” as a Christmas present from my boyfriend. I read it in one night. I too laughed and cried. I would now like to tell you about my baby, a mini Schnauzer, Dixie. I got her when she was two years old and thought she was well, turns out she had a thyroid problem and a skin problem. They were both treated fairly easy with medications.

As my Dixie got older both conditions got worse and she got a disease known as Addisions’. I had to put her down. She was 14 and I like most people who have ever had to make that decision struggled with if I did the right thing I know I did and that she is in good company. I know she had a better life because of me and my family.

Kimberly from CA

I just finished reading Rescuing Sprite right after Christmas. I had received the book for my birthday in mid November from a friend. At the time our dog, Duncan, a Flat-coated Retriever/Samoyed mix, age 13 yrs., had just the week before been diagnosed with Blastomycosis, a fungal infection. The vet said he probably didn’t have long. I started the book and had to put it aside. On Nov. 27 we had to let Duncan go as he could no longer get himself up. This was one of the hardest things I have had to do.

This book is such a well written beautiful book. I know I couldn’t have read it when I received it but the timing was right to read it after Christmas. Of course I cried through the last half of the book. Mark, you state so well what so many of us go though with our dogs. Thank you.

Cheryl from MN

Dear Mr. Levin,

I just finished “Rescuing Sprite” and congratulate you on sharing the many emotions that revolve around the relationships we have with our canine family members.

My wife and I made the decision to not have childern years ago and our dogs have been the focus of our affection. We have had four Irish Wolfhounds and lost each under difficult circumstances. Your book brought back the difficulty faced when making the decision to euthanize. It brought back the many loving memories we have as well.

Please rest assured that Sprite is among friends and loved ones, human and animal alike. He will now be mentioned daily in my prayers for our departed loved ones and asked, as I ask them, for their prayers for all of us. As the story goes in its various forms, heaven would not be heaven if we couldn’t continue relationships with those we have loved and lost. I know in my heart that God understands that and our reunion with them will surpass our best moments on earth. That is at least my hope and prayer.

And so I add Sprite as I pray that Kelly, Kelly, Hannibal, Ryan, Anheuser, Terence, Duke, Chris, Tricksy, Lucky and Frtizy are together in Divine Happiness and that we may all join them when our time has come.

May God bless you and your family (including Pepsi and Griffen of course) and keep you well.

Sincerely,

Mike from IN

Hi, Mark. My daughter gave me a copy of Rescuing Sprite for Christmas, and I just finished it…I couldn’t put it down. She knows what a dog lover her Mom is, and correctly guessed that I would love the book.

I wanted to thank you for writing about what all of us have felt when we have lost a 4-footed family member. You gave your all for Sprite and I am sure that he knew that. Do we readers think you are nuts for writing a book like this? NO WAY! We, too, have felt the love of a faithful dog and the misery of losing him or her. Loving your dog with your full heart means somtimes making choices that are so hard for you, but the right thing for your best friend. Your decision for Sprite was the ultimate act of love, and he knew that. My heart goes out to you and your family for your great loss.

I, too, have suffered the loss of special pets, and the hardest thing of all is trying to explain to others just why you are so distraught. Unless they are animal lovers, too, they just don’t get it. You have lost a family member, your best friend and mentor…it take a long time to get over that (actually, I don’t think you ever do).

Your book was just incredible, and I wish I had been privileged to know Sprite. I loved all the photos in the book, especially the cover shot…what a cutie!!! I hope he is running around like crazy up in heaven, and that he has met my late dogs and has enjoyed a good biscuit with them!!! I still miss mine like crazy, too. Having my wonderful Collie Ciara here with me now just makes my day…I love her to pieces and enjoy all her special unique traits and expressions. Although I did not think that another dog could fill my heart after losing the others, she has more than done that triplefold. I think that bringing Griffen into your life was the right thing to do!

Thanks again for sharing this great memoir with us. As well as helping you deal with your grief, it has given those of us who have been through this journey a wonderful book to cherish. Give Pepsi and Griffen a pat on the head & a hug from me, and thanks for sharing Sprite with me! :-)

Anne from NY