Though I am more of a cat person than a dog person, I have developed a relationship with our next door neighbor’s dog. They leave it in the back yard and never come out to play with him. When I go into our backyard, he comes to fence and wags his tail. I reach over the fence and pet him and talk to him. I throw him sticks from our yard and he fetches and brings them back to me. He seems kind of timid sometimes. I feel sorry for him. I don’t think people should get pets, especially dogs, if they don’t have time or want to socialize with them. Dogs and cats are very social animals that crave human relationships. They want to be part of a family. I guess a “pack” or a “pride”. It just isn’t right to leave a dog alone outside all of the time. The dog is a pit bull, but he’s very friendly. I belive that all dogs are born with an instinct to be friendly and love humans, but only become mean if they are raised to be. I am buying Mark’s book for my friend who is a dog rescuer. She has several dogs that she has rescued, she fosters dogs waiting for homes and she volunteers for SPCA work.

God Bless

Kevy from TX

Thank you for writing this book. I haven’t read it yet but after I lost my kitty suddenly last year I am regularly on a pet loss website comforting and sharing with people who’ve lost their pets. I listen to you and Rush and Sean regularly and it is nice to know we share this love and compassion for animals and their owners. I am sending my first post after losing my kitty Brahms last
year, I wish it wasn’t true but after a year and 4 months I still grieve him.
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Brahms
After 16 years of having cats and never losing one. I lost my beloved 3 year old orange tabby named Brahms Lullaby who was born in my house in April of 2003 where his mom Lucy and brother Scotty Underpants (Scott Joplin)
both live along with my 16 year old (diabetic) gold tabby named Gus who is a great miracle . Brahms disappeared on July 1st 2006 during the night. It was the worst day of my life and brought the most incredible sadness I’ve ever known. He was a huge cat 18 pounds – and was the most gentle, loving, angelic cat I’ve ever known. He always purred unless something scared him, he was the happiest cat, just loved life, loved the other cats, loved me. They are all angels, Brahms was even more – I am convinced he was truly an angel and that’s why he couldn’t stay too long. We miss him terribly, I’ve never known grief like this and right now am grasping onto the thought of seeing him again in heaven – my comfort. I had wanted 2 brothers and they were the sweetest pair of brothers – Brahmies and Scotty Underpants that you would ever want to see. Scotty gets so much extra love now. Just grieving him, wanting to see him in heaven.
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I since have written many stories and shared pictures on this website but this was the first…It is still hard to take.
I have 3 other wonderful cats one who is 17 and I live with this dread always but thank God for every day with them.

Laurie from MI

Tribute to a Dog, The One Absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his masters side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince.. When all other friends desert he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in it’s jouney through the heavans.

Jeff from IL

I had a dog for 16 years. He was a member of the family. Went everywhere with me. I really didnt look him as a dog. He got cancer. Had to put him to sleep. This really tore me up. My boss and people at work thought I was nuts(for mourning a dog). It was great to hear your thoughts on Sean Hannity the other day. I guess im not the only animal lover out here!

Thanks Dave from IN

I just saw Mark on Hannity & Colmes & oh,how I could relate as he spoke of the depth of his loss! I, too, went into a deep depression some years back after putting my beloved Abby (Afghan) to sleep. I was unprepared for the depth of grief I would experience. I had the veterinarian come to my home & put her down so that she would be less stressed being in familiar surroundings & yet still I could not shake the guilt & grief for sometime to come. I could not imagine ever going through such pain again! And, lo and behold, a couple of years ago, right in the middle of a haircut, my cell phone rang. My daughter, who worked summers as a wrangler at a nearby horsemanship camp was calling with the sound of urgency in her voice. They had found a dog on the campgrounds. He was in very poor condition & looked like he was starving. They had to remove him from the campground, and she begged me to let him come to our home until we could nurse him back to health and find him a good home. I reluctantly agreed. Buddy, a large black lab mix arrived at our home a few hours later.
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I took in a Jack Russell/Rat terrier mix named Bubba in 2000. He was skinny and a breeding dog. He was so grateful to be in the house and be loved by me. I took him to the vet to heal a herniated disc and also spent money to get his bad teeth removed. He was a loving and special dog who gave so much to me. He was very old, and on September 25, 2007 I had to euthanize him because he had so many problems with his back legs and was getting stuck. Even though I got him late in life, I thanked God every day I had him, because in 2004 I thought I was going to lose him. The last three years were priceless.

Aaron from AZ