Six years ago we lost our five year old bichon, Sammy, because of a veterinarian’s mistake. We miss him every day. He was the most gentle dog I have ever met and he was there when we needed support during the illness of a family member. (We sued the vet and won, but it does not make up for the painful last days of his life.)

Mary Beth from CT

I just finished reading your beautiful book about Sprite. I identify with Kendall, although I am not nearly the angel she is. Our older dog died of cancer, and I told my husband, no more dogs for a while. I hoped that we could do without the yard cleanup duty, the vet bills, and the heartache of loss. But my husband is a dog lover and wanted a dog. So we went to the shelter and adopted two females, siblings, who are part black lab and part weimerauner. They had both been abused or neglected.

After reading your book, I realize that I should be grateful for these dogs for many reasons. The thing I admire about Kendall is that she wasn’t too excited to get a dog. However, she knew that you and your kids wantd a dog, so she put her desires aside, as a sacrificial parent should do. She helped the kids locate a dog and she tenaciously pursued the dog.

Congratulations to you and your kids for having such a marvelous wife and mother. Congratulations to Kendall for being what I hope to be someday.

Susan from WY

I don’t know about other kids, but when I was pretty young I was afraid of a few things. Like I was afraid of dying in my sleep, and sometimes I was afraid of the dark. And don’t go sticking spiders and snakes in my space, either. I don’t remember ever confessing these fears to anyone, and I don’t know if anyone ever guessed. Some fears you outgrow as you get older, and some just seem to stick with you. So keep those spiders and snakes away from me, if you don’t mind. But these days dying in my sleep no longer troubles me, as a matter of fact I’m kind of curious what it’s like on the other side. And my fear of the dark I overcame a long time ago with the help of my dog Fritzie.

We moved into our new house up the hill from Wauregan when I was about seven years old. We had a big fireplace, which Uncle Charlie had built, and we used up a lot of firewood every winter. Sometimes Dad would send me out to the woodpile to get a good size hunk of maple or oak. That was only a problem when it was dark outside. Read the rest of this entry »

I read your book and cried through the entire time, it was a touching story and I can say I have lived trough it! I am sorry for your loss. I was surpirsed to read peoples names in your book that I know, David is my lawyer! The story is touching and sad, but I will tell you my four legged son’s name is tattooed over my heart with the date of his death under it! I have him with me always and his ashes set in my office in a jar, the place where he always was with me and when my time comes he will be placed in the casket with me, I hated going anywhere without him, and so the only place I went that he could not go was the store, however he waited at my office door for my return! Thanks for writing the book, sharing your story and allowing people into your life with Sprite! God bless you and know that Sprite is waiting for you on the other side!

This might help you to know you did the right thing!

A PET’S REQUEST

If it should be that I grow weak,
And pain should keep me from my sleep,
Then you must do what must be done,
For this last battle cannot be won. Read the rest of this entry »

While waiting to board a plane last week at the Oakland, CA airport, I wandered over to a bookstall and picked up your book. I flipped through the pages, reading a bit here and there. When my tears started falling on the pages, I put the book back on the shelf. I told my son what I’d just read, and we reminisced about the dogs that had been part of our family. In a few minutes, he got up and bought your book for me. We have had 5 dogs, all living to old age. The first two were mostly for the kids. Then when they started growing up and going off to college, the next dogs were for me. A mother always wants a little creature around to love and care for. The dogs filled that need.

My two ‘little angels’ were smooth fox terriers, Jack and Pete. Jack was a rescue dog and as you know, we don’t always know their exact age. He was with us for 11 years and then developed cardiomyopathy. Read the rest of this entry »

I rang in the New Year 2008 reading Rescuing Sprite. It took me about 4 hours to read the book. Our dog, Samson, was in the bed with me with his head in my lap. I would stop every few minutes to look him and pet him, my heart growing with more and more love as I read the book. We have had Samson only 3 years, but we cannot imagine life with out him. We have tried time and time again to discuss how life would be without Samson. We can never finish the discussion without tears flowing like a river. God has surely blessed us with a great friend and loved one. Your book surely made me stop, realize, and enjoy Samson’s love, friendship, and loyalty. I’m sure I’ll be reading the book again. Thanks for your great book.

Jessica from MS