I truly enjoyed your story of Sprite. I need to say that it’s ironic that I picked up your book in the airport, having looked at my 5 year old mixed breed (who I got from a rescue in CA) a week or so earlier and realizing that she’d one day break my heart. Winnie and I have been through a lot and she’s here with me as I type this e-mail.

I had no idea who you were or anything of the story of Sprite until that day I picked up your book in the airport. You need to know that a grown man was teary eyed the entire way home to visit my family. It made me think of how lucky I am to have my dog–she’s involved with every part of my life. My girlfriend of 2 years, who was never a “dog person” absolutely adores the dog and agrees that life is much better with Winnie than without her. As you can see from the picture, Winnie loves everyone, including the cat!

Winnie is 5 years old, I hope she’s with me at least another 8 years…..I tell her that she’s under contract for a full 12 years minimum and then her time is her own after that!

I’ve always known how important my animals are to me and hate losing them. We all do. To everyone out there that’s lost their pet, I hope your grief eases. And for the rest of us who still have our pets with us, we need to give them a little more love each day since we won’t get a second chance when they are gone.

Best wishes to all in 2008!

Paul from TN

Dear Mark,

Happy New Year! I just finished reading “Rescuing Sprite” and it brought back so many emotions. In May 2004 my family had to put out Chocolate Lab Fudgie to sleep. He was a great friend and spent almost 14 years with us.

When I was 19 years old my parents divorced and my house was often chaotic. Despite it all Fudgie was there with simple reassurances. I remember coming home late many nights hoping all was quiet, and he was always there to greet me. I remember sitting on the floor with him, hugging him, and he never moved. He sat with me sensing that I needed a friend.
As I look back on those chaotic years I always worry that we didn’t pay Fudgie enough attention. We were all so wrapped up in what was going on I know he sometimes got pushed to the side. I still pray he knew how loved he was, and I have been reassured by family and friends that he did.

Like you, when Fudgie died I swore it would take time, even years before I could welcome another dog. I thought that would need to be put off until I had my own kids, but that wasn’t to be. Two years ago on my brother’s 16th birthday my Mom’s fiance brought us our new dog, Missy. She is a pit bull terrier, and despite the stereotype one of the most loving animals I have ever met! When Missy came to live with us I swore she was “their dog” I couldn’t let her be my dog so soon after Fudgie’s passing. I felt like I was betraying him. Then one night I had a dream. Fudgie came running into the room wagging his tail like he had done for so many years. And behind him was Missy. I knew it was him presenting her to me, telling me it was okay to accept her! And now despite spending less time in my family home, and more time in what will become my new apartment when my fiance and I get married next November, Missy has become “Our Dog.”

I pay special attention to her whenever I can, so I never have to wonder years from now if she knew she was loved! Like Fudgie she is a good friend and I am thrilled that she is part of the family.

Thank you for the book Mark! It means a lot to all of us who have been on that same emotional roller coaster!

John from NY

My daughter asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year. My wants aren’t much anymore and I don’t want her spending alot on me. So I told her about Rescuing Sprite. She gave it to me and I thought I could have it read in a day. It took a week! It was so enjoyable and truely brought back memories of my last Irish Setter, Zeke, especially.. I am such a fan of adopting out of shelters and the fact that part of the proceeds will go to shelters was great.

In 1994 I got 2 Irish Setters, Zeke and Zack. Zack delveloped seizures and and had to be put down at age 7. The vet would not let me be with him and I have never forgot that. Zeke lived 6 more years and was a constant companion of mine. This time the vet that was caring for him told me when it was time to put him to sleep. He had arthritus and pancreatitus. His organs were failing and his quality of life had gone. He let us keep him in the SUV came out to the car to put his life to rest. I held him in my arms. The vet turned around after it was done and was crying also. I have never felt the pain that I did that day. BUt I was thankful to be able to hold him during his last seconds. That is why the last part of the book was so hard to get through, but I needed to read it. I too got a new puppy, after vowing to never have any more dogs again. Thank you Mark for a great book and I wsh you luck with Pepsi and Griffen.

Kathy from CO

Dear Mark,

I just finished reading Rescuing Sprite and what a wonderful tribute. I myself had a wonderful friend. Her name was Hannah and I was blessed to have her for 16 1/2 years. Like you I had to make the hard decision to have her put to sleep which was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. My Hannah was with my daughter and I thru some tough times and made life easier to deal with. I had been married to a man for 24 years who was physically, verbal and sexually abusive to both my daughter and myself. But some of those facts I did not find out until my daugher was 21 years old. Anyway, I finally found the strength to divorce this person and had to pay him $500.00 to keep my precious Hannah which was worth every penny. With good friends and therapy we both have come on top but not without the unconditional love from my Hannah. I was by myself for 6 wonderul years and finally met a man who is a god send. It was as if Hannah hung on until she knew her mom was going to be OK. But it still doesn’t make that decision any easier and I admire that you left that part out for the sake of your kids. Anyway, I had Hannah cremated and have made my wishes known that she is to be buried with me when it is my time to go to heaven.

Bless you for sharing your wonderful story with everyone. I think of my Hannah each and every day with a smile on my face and I know she is still looking after me.

Best Regards,
Terri from OH

Dear Mark,

“Rescuing Sprite” was a Christmas gift from our daughter, who had to bury her face in it to hide her tears as she perused it in the bookstore. I knew then that it would be a painful, yet important book to read, and I was correct on both points.

On November 29, 2007 we had to make the agonizing decision to end the life of our little Lhasa Apso, Tasha, who shared her life with us for 14 1/2 years. She is the only pet we ever owned, having joined our family just one year after our marriage. She was diagnosed in February 2007 with a bladder tumor known as transitional cell carcinoma. Although the initial diagnosis was both shocking and upsetting, it was nothing compared to the grief we would experience at the end of her life. We agreed that due to her age and other health conditions (severe hearing and visual loss, arthritis, heart arrythmmia and murmur), that we would treat the tumor conservatively with oral medication offered by the vet rather than traumatize the rest of her life with painful, protracted procedures. We chose instead to love her and pamper her more than ever until her dying day.

The agony of having to decide when another living being’s life will end seems somehow to be an inappropriate, cruel task to hand anyone. We feared making the wrong decision–before it was absolutely necessary, thus ending a good life too soon, or worse–not recognizing the signs early enough to prevent unnecessary suffering. In the end, it was obvious when the day came what we had to do.

Our lives have not been the same since she left us one month ago. Having had both our daughters marry during 2007, our “house is not a home” without Tasha. As they say, “the silence is deafening”. There isn’t a day that we don’t think about her and miss her terribly. Many times I have held her blanket to my face and deeply inhaled, trying to find a trace of her scent still there.

We believe the best way to honor her is to “rescue” a Lhasa from a shelter at some point, but it’s hard to know when is the right time. I hope that just as we knew when her life was about to end, we will know when we are ready to invest in that kind of love again.

Thank you for the hard work it must have been to write this book.

Jan from IN

Hi Mark,

I finished your book last night with my trusty Miniature Schnauzer Murphy laying in bed next to me. I got Murphy from a Schnuazer rescue organization in Cincinnati 3 years ago – he was found roaming the streets of Cincinnati with his daughter. She’d probably been hit by a car judging by an injured hip that caused her quite a bit of pain and difficulty getting around. She’s since been fixed up and placed in a wonderful adoptive home. One of Murphy’s quirks is that he’s very protective of me when we go on our walks – there is no dog, big or small, that he will not stand up to. Matter of fact, he even challenges horses that cross our paths! This leads me to believe that Murphy’s time on the streets was spent protecting and caring for his daughter until they both found a better life – what a dog!

I had to say goodbye to my last Schnauzer (Maxie) several years ago. As with Spritey in your case, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Shortly after that, I saw a Linda Bowles column named Remembering Odie, a tribute to her wonderful dog Odie that she and her husband Warren had to put-down several years ago. After reading Linda’s story I wrote to her; her reply to me was warm and opened a small window to show a side of her not normally seen in her politically-charged commentaries. I have a website that includes her Remembering Odie column, and a couple of the emails that she and I shared between us. If you’ve not read that column, I think you’ll enjoy it. That site is http://webpages.charter.net/maako/Linda/odie.htm

Thanks for your book. Thanks for rescuing dogs that only ask for love, food and shelter, in return for a lifetime of devotion.

Mark from MI