Mark you are remarkable, kind, tenderhearted, dedicated, and have a great propensity for helping folks that have lost family members and that includes their pets. Thank you and God Bless you.

Besides Skippy belowI have had two other friends, Mokie a Seberian Husky and Shadow a Peekapoo and both of them have passed away of old age .

I write poetry and this poem is about “My Pal Skippy”. 50 years ago Skippy was my buddy and pal

My pal Skippy was a tan spitz mix. He was the most loyal dog and full of tricks.

I loved him because he was my friend, so true. You couldn’t help loving him because he would easily show his love to you.

My pal Skippy was medium-sized, if you please. He would guard his territory, including me, and protect it with ease.
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I am a Belgian Sheepdog breeder, but I also volunteer 2 weekends a month to our local shelters. Volunteering at a shelter is one of the most uplifting and heartbreaking experiences I’ve ever done.

Usually when I am at the shelter I let the dog (s) I am working with out in the yard for a good 1/2 hour of running off some steam, then we walk. I try to teach them some leash manners, but if they don’t have them, I will go and sit at the nearby pond with them, just brushing them, talking to them and trying like hell to understand why these wonderful dogs were dumped.

Oh yes, I can look in their eyes and see them as puppies, why someone would want “a cute puppy” and I can also see how they grow up and people don’t want them anymore.

I foster dogs occasionally and I have a Heinz 57 dog myself who is going on 12 years old in January of 2008.

When people contact me for a pup I’ve bred, I always send them to Rescue or to their local shelter first. I haven’t bred a litter in 2 years and I believe it’s because of all the dogs I’ve met in our local shelters.

Thanks Mark for your story about Sprite. It’s people like you who make us shelter volunteers do what we do!

Judy from New Jersey

Mark, my Mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2002. At the time I had 4 dogs. Bart, (Shi Zu), Vinnie, (Schnoodle), Larry, (Poodle), and Bob (Pomeranium). During my mother’s chemo treatment, Larry, my poodle (11 years old) developed a form of diabetes and suddenly died. The very next month, my Pom, Bob, (8 years old) had to have trachea surgery and was doing well, but on Labor Day stopped breathing, I rushed him to the vet. Because of lack of lack of oxygen, he had sustained brain damage and I had to have him put down. 15 months later I had to put my Shi Zu, Bart (14 years) down. During this time, my beloved Mother passed away. I have never experienced such depression and sorrow. I did not know if I was going to make it. I still have my 15 year old Schnoodle, Vinnie and now have 2 -4 year old yellow labs, Bo & Luke.
They are my light at the end of each tunnel

I truly feel your pain for the loss of your beloved Sprite and also share your love and understanding of dogs and what they do for us. I have attached a picture of Bo & Luke.

Debbie from Texas

Dear Sir: Will be picking up your book this weekend. Had to put my Husky/BlueHealer to sleep after 19 years. It was doubly hard because it was exactly 3 years to the day (and almost to the hour) that my husband was killed. He was a shelter rescue and gave nothing by unconditional love. Have you ever heard of the “Rainbow Bridge”? I believe in God and the Herefafter, and look forward to meeting all my pets when they see me arriving.

Hannah from Illinois

I had 3 beautiful German shepherds since they were puppies, the youngest (Hans) was born at home to his mom and dad Fritz and Heidie he became the love of our lives as all of them were, so sweet beautiful full of energy and endless love, after having him nearly 10 years he developed Degenerative myelopathy I was crushed when he could no longer walk run or take giant leaps, I used to take him to my boat go for walks play in the yard and he would leap and jump on top of me on the couch all 125 lb of him, but he could no longer do so, I ripped through my heart to see him like that, I bought him a K9 Cart so he can go out and run but it wasn’t the same, he would look at me with that Innocent face and beautiful eyes and point to his hind legs as if he is saying I can’t do it dad there is nothing I can write here that can describe the pain and frustration, and Mark you taught me a new word (anticipatory grief) I know all about it but had no name for it
His condition got so bad and he lost control of his bladder and the options where none other the the most dreadful thing, I prayed and prayed to god to take him the most peaceful way so I would not have to make that decision but it didn’t happen I understand Mark when he said that I didn’t want to play god or have my baby put down I awoke at night pacing the sick feeling in my guts at the thought of it
the short version when my vet came to the house, the las moments I can never never forget, the last couple of grunts and the drug over taking my beautiful baby exploded my heart in pieces the tears and crying were only just a tiny expression of what I felt on the inside
Hans was born on Halloween night around 2AM (nov 1st) really, and was put down Sep 30 07
we still have the mom and pop Fritz and Heide Fritz is having Kidny problens now he will be 12 on Dec 5th 07 thanks for sharing and reading

Dennis from Pennsylvania

I had a dog named Brando. He was a happy golden retriever, and at the time, me and my wife’s only baby. We got him at 8 weeks old, and later had 2 wonderful children to grow up with him. At the age of three Brando grew a large tumor on his side, and had to have surgery. The tumor was removed, but two years later it came back, and with a pregnant wife, and father on his death bed, I had to send brando in for another surgery. This one, he did not survive. At age 5, Bando was dead.

Chuck from Illinois