Mark, I just received my Amazon order for 3 copies of your book. Ultimately, they will be gifts to the real dog lovers in my family, my son, my daughter, and a sister. But first, I really look forward to reading one myself. Here’s my story. We had a couple dogs before I was old enough to remember, but the first dog I remember was Liz. A cocker spaniel/poodle (a desgner dog before they were fashionable).

Liz was my best buddy as a youngster and I remember her living a long life until she was at least 13/14 and I was 16 or 17. Mostly blind and deaf at the end, I remember the day she just did not want to get up anymore. With instruction from my mother, I carried here to the car, and rode with her to the vet. I carried her in, layed her on the table, and we said goodbye. I can still see her eyes today. Not long before Liz passed, my family got Heidi, the puppy St. Bernard. She grew very large, had bad hips in the older years, and lasted until she was at least 14 or 15. To this day I remember getting the call from my Mom that Heidi just didn’t want to get up anymore, I came home, lifted her into the car, and took her to the vet. I carried her into the office, laid her on the table, and said goodbye.
Read the rest of this entry »

I  wrote to you a few days ago and told you about our dog “Snuggles”. I too had Snuggles cremated but his ashes are sitting on my dresser with his picture. I just finished reading your book-it was a very moving book. It made me laugh and it made me cry. My Snuggles also took the ham off the table one Easter-I thought for sure he was going to get sick-we practically had our hand down his throat to get it out of his mouth.

In January when I took him for his yearly checkup that is when the vet said his kidneys were starting to shut down so she changed his diet. Between him not adjusting to food, getting sick on and off and the two operations on his mouth for the tumors he was to the vet 8 times in 10 months. I keep asking myself if there was something else I could of done for him and if changing the food because of the kidneys was the start of all this. I keep second guessing myself also.

I know deep down he loved us very much and we loved him very much-he was spoiled alot by all of us. He had his bath every 5 weeks and he went everywhere with us. He was a big part of our family and we will miss him dearly. They say it gets easier but I don’t think so-just have to keep thinking of the good times we had with him and how much company he was. Those big eyes looking up at you when you are leaving the house; those big eyes looking up at you when you come back home. He used to hear the car pull in the driveway and he would be in the window looking out-he would lay his chin on the window sill and just stare out at us and then run to the door. He loved to be with you-if you left the room lately he would bark because he didn’t know where you went. Maybe he knew something wasn’t right.

I know I could just go on and on but I am glad you wrote the book and I hope everyone gets a chance to read it-it is well worth reading. I love your dog corner-reading other listeners stories is helping me to get through this time.

Thank you Mark,
Jackie from NJ

I just finished reading Rescuing Sprite. I loved the book and could so relate! I must have gone through ½ a box of tissues.

I grew up with dogs but due to condo living am now a cat owner. Our first cat, Ninja, we had to have put to sleep after 10 years due to a tumor. It was so difficult to do and we still have pictures of her around the house.

Through the last several years we acquired, through rescue and death, 3 cats. A year ago last October, Buster, our youngest, got out and disappeared. We looked and looked for him. We knew he wouldn’t have been taken, as he was too scared of strangers. Eventually we went to the ASPCA where they have lists of found animals. Listed was a black male DOA on the day he went missing near our home.

It was the most devastating thing to not know how he died or why he was where he was. Not only was he the youngest of our cats, he was the funniest with the most character! He made us laugh out loud daily and often many times a day. There has been a void in our home since that day, even though we have the other two cats. It’s been over a year now and the pain has lessened, but I can still get choked up looking at his picture and wishing he would come tearing down the hallway into our bedroom!

Your book depicted the pain and devastation we felt losing Ninja and Buster. I appreciate you sharing your experience and I will treasure the book. Thanks for writing it!

Sincerely,
Karen from CA

Hi, Mark. It’s your old traffic reporter a few years back. It was great to see you & Rich at the Freedom Concert this year. Your book couldn’t have come at a better time for me as I just had to put my Wolfie down after battling cancer. This was only about 3 weeks ago, so it’s still quite fresh and I’m still devestated over it. Not having children yet, he was my child. Everyone who met him always fell in love with him. He was a wonderful companion. It’s great to have you apart of the Sirius family now & Andrew Wilkow lent his copy of your book to me. I’m sure it will bring tears to my eyes, but so far you are helping me to remember great times with Wolfie & to keep him alive in my heart. 

 Thank you for all you do. Kate from NJ

I  have been thinking about Sprite and you and would lkie you to know something that will perhaps lift off the sadness and remorse that you have since losing Sprite. What a beautiful kind face Spite had. I’ve had my pets and lost some. But in most circumstances it was vets that have made their errors. A vet had given my three year old Teddy bear too any shots for dis-temper in which he died in three days from the damage it did to him.

I have since then been reluctant to take any of my pets to vets. Just recently our dog Gus a fourteen year old Siberian husky had a large tumor growing on the side of his stomach, When I took him to a vet, the first thing this vet wanted to do was to put him down. “No,’ I said, “I will wait and see what I can do first.” After taking Gus home I had remembered how an old farmer had told me to take a rubber band and tie it tight around the tumor so blood could not flow through it, and in a few days the tumor would fall off. This is the size of a large rubber ball. Well, I just did that- tied it up with the rubber band and put a shirt on Gus so he couldn’t lick it. I watched it as it started to separate and kept spraying it with an antiseptic. Well the tumor fell off after about 5 days. It left a large open sore. I sprayed it with the antiseptic daily and to make a long story short it healed over with smooth healthy skin. Gus is still with us, He’s now 15 years old and in great health. I think vets are too eager to put animals down. And then if they do talk people into it, it only leaves the owner of their beloved pet with nothing but grief and guilt.

I want you to know that it was not your fault that this happened, but the vet should of allowed Sprite to live or die in Gods hand naturally. Vets do this to pet owners more than you know by talking them into putting their pet down. When perhaps there may be a chance that sometimes they can survive. Like me, you are for Life Not death, and now you have your other dogs, who love you too , but I think in your own mind that you will let them go naturally next time and not some vet giving them a lethal injection. I found their are antibiotics I can and do give my dogs and cats when needed,. When you do everything you can to keep them alive, because that is what you wanted for your Sprite, you may come to realize that if any of your pets gets sick you will try to restore their health, but you Never again will let a Vet talk you into eliminating its life, but instead will let him live as long as the good Lord is willing.

C.L. from VA

I have Crohn’s disease and from time to time I get some very serious flare ups. The night before last, my husband had to run out to Home Depot to pick up some parts for work. I stayed behind with the thoughts of finishing the dishes and cleaning up. I went to sit down in our family room for a few minutes to do some spiritual reading, and WHAM, I was hit with pain in my abdomen like you could not believe. It put me out of the chair and onto the floor. I was literally feeling like someone was taking a knife and slicing my stomach open.
Read the rest of this entry »