Our family has been blessed with two amazing dogs. We have a german shepherd-Heidi- and a mix-Abby.
Hannah (15 years old): I wrote a sonnet for english class. I decided to read it to my father and sister after we heard Mr.Levin tell his story about Sprite o the way home from school. It is titled “Woman’s Best Friend”

“Two pairs of eyes look up towards me. They glow,

With seeing the sight of me at the door.

Their excitement begins to overflow;

Loud barking, tail wagging, and tug of war.

Their companionship is like my shadow,

Always following and watching o’er me.

I never worry if they’re friend or foe.

They’re gentle like a lamb to family.

Their companionship fuels my love for them.

I care and heed as their example shows.

In my life, they are an alluring gem.

I pray that they’re ne’er required to go.

Pets are my friends. On them one can depend.

Animals truly are woman’s best friend.”

Dale found Abby (the mixed-breed) on the way home from work one winter night. She had been dropped off on our street and left there as if she was trash. She has been a wonderful blessing to our family. Dale descibes her as a clown in a dog’s body because she is so funny! She makes us all laugh every day. Abby has also become a great companion to Heidi, our German Shepherd. They get along just fine. Abby has even been able to get on good terms with our fat cat (he weighs about 20 lbs)! Her tail had been docked from the previous owners. And the little “knub” that is left is always wagging! Our family is so lucky to be blessed with Abby, Heidi, and our cat, Freckle.

The Diemer Family from Ohio
[Hayley(10), Hannah (15), Dale (50), and Laura (49)]

This is a story about Hope, literally.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I lost my beloved tripod Great Dane Bella in August. It truly broke my heart. As luck would have it, fate brought ANOTHER tripod Great Dane into my life. Her name is Hope.

Hope was part of a hoarding case in Florida. She was being fostered by a wonderful woman name Jeannine in Pensacola, who ran the Great Dane Rescue. When I saw hope, I knew it was meant to be.

Later that week I was on a plane to Florida to drive Hope back to NJ. She is 2 yrs old, missing the opposite leg that Bella was missing. My home is already set up to accommodate a handicapped dog and Hope as become a wonderful addition to our home.
My heart felt 100 lbs lighter when I saw her and knew it was meant to be.
To see Hope now, you would think she has been with me all of her life.

I am greatful for both Bella and now Hope. They have taught me patience & compassion and have brought more joy to my life than I could ever imagine.

Ronnie from New Jersey

In 1962, a friend of mine had a three month old pup, part fox terrier and part who knows, that was rather sick, and he was going to take it to the dog pound,which would have been a death sentence. I rescued the dog and took it to a vet, who said the dog had distemper and recommended it be put down. I asked the vet if that was absolutely necessary, and he said I could keep it warm and nurse for a few days and see if there was any improvement. If not the end was inevitable. Fast forward—the dog lived 17 years and 5 months. I named her Lolita, allowed her to have a litter of pups and then had her spayed. I lived on a lake in Arkansas in a beautiful wooded section adjacent to Little Rock, and during her first five years she was bitten twice by copperhead snakes. Each time,she would crawl under the house and stay for about ten days. Each time I thought was the end. However, each time she would reappear, hungry and ready to face the next crisis. The next crisis came when the school bus ran over her four years later. She then proceeded to live a happy accident free life for several years until she developed heart failure and breathing problems. The vet said her early bout with distemper contributed to her ailments. At age 15 she began having seizures—-light ones at first , several months apart. Then more frequent and she began experiencing pain with them. The vet told us after one particularly rough one that the next one is when we should put her to sleep. We agreed. One afternoon we heard her moan , and it was obvious it was time. I told my wife that I would take her, and after it was over I would bring her back so we could bury her at home. She was unable to move, so I got a clean white sheet and laid her on it, as her shroud. I went to get the car keys, and when I came back, she was standing up looking up at me.Her expression told me “I want to die at home”. I knelt, she put her paw on my thigh and that was it. We wrapped her up and buried her. She has been greatly missed, and if I live to be one hundred, I will never stop wondering what her last thoughts were as she looked up at me with those big brown eyes.

Ron from Mississippi

The Sean Hannity Show
November 5, 2007

Click here to Listen (Windows Media Format)

The Washington Times
November 6, 2007

Is the right-wing conspiracy so vast as to include even Mark R. Levin’s dogs?     The conservative talk-radio host disavows any political or ideological motive behind his new book, “Rescuing Sprite: A Dog Lover’s Story of Joy and Anguish.”     “It was a book I didn’t expect to write,” said Mr. Levin, whose nationally syndicated show is heard nightly on WMAL radio (630 AM) in the Washington area. “This book has absolutely nothing to do with politics or liberalism versus conservatism.”… Read full article here.

Dear Mark ~ Thank you very much for rekindling my husband’s and my memories of our “Adoption Experience”! A few years ago we received a call from a friend who heads up the English Springer Spaniel Rescue in Frisco, Texas. She asked us to pick up a Springer for her at the Shelter in Arlington ASAP. (She was a pilot for FedEx and was in flight!) Bill and I got to the shelter within 1 hour. This beautiful liver & white Springer was only 30 minutes away from being euthanized! While driving back to our home my husband looked over his shoulder where the dog and I were sitting in the back seat and said, “Dog! You have NO idea how close you just came to being history! You have been saved by GRACE!” Guess what? We kept her and she is truly the epitomy of a BEST FRIEND… We believe that she sensed that her death was iminent… We love her so much ~ BUT, I think her love for us goes above & beyond anything that we could EVER comprehend!!!!! I’m sending you a picture of our “Gracie”… Hugs to you ~ Donna P.S. I picture Sprite sitting up in Heaven on God’s lap… If you say another prayer, I believe God will relay your love to Sprite AND give him a hug for you… That’s how God is, you know…

Donna from Nevada