It was just a few days into my summer vacation after 3rd grade that we welcomed a new member into our family. Our beloved cat Sandy would be part of our lives for the next 17 years. The first time I held him I was a little girl. The last time I cradled him I was married and pregnant with my first child.

About a year after Sandy’s death, my mom wrote his story. It was published by our local Humane Society to help highlight Adopt-A-Cat Month.

Here are some excerpts from what my mom shared about our Sandy:

It was a June day that our family adopted Sandy from the Wisconsin Humane Society. And it was a June day that I took Sandy to the veterinarian for the last time. Those intervening seventeen years held a wealth of life experiences, sad and happy times, made richer for having had a family cat in the scenario.

Sandy was six weeks old when we got him—a warm, cuddly furry ball. He was right for us and we were right for him. We remember well his passion for fresh cantaloupe, his purring sounds when we’d hold him close, his big, beautiful eyes that matched his coat, his fastidiousness, his chasing snowflakes or blowing leaves with his paw through a window, and his drinking of the water out of the fishbowl while leaving the fish alone.
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I’m sending pictures of my little Emma, she’s been with us for almost a year now. She was 8 weeks old when we got her. She has three doberman sisters, a rotty brother and an Australian shepard sister. Even with all these gentle giants in our home little Emma rules the roost. She’s and angel who loves to play in the fresh cut grass, and who loves Halloween because it’s yet another excuse for her to get dressed up. And she loves to sit on my knee at the computer and listen to your show with me…what can I say??? The girl’s got a good head on her shoulders.

Lorna from ON

Hi Mark. My pet story starts when I was very little. I don’t have any brothers, sisters or kids but I’ve had a dog since I was about five years old. I was lucky enough to have two beautiful Shelties who lived pretty long lives and then I had two Cairn terriers after that. My most recent, Cairn, Jonah, is in the photo attached.

When I lived in Nashville, Tennessee, I got involved in pet therapy. I would borrow dogs from the Humane Society and take them to hospitals and nursing homes to visit people. That led me into animal rescue and I was the president of a rescue group for several years in my current hometown, Traverse City, Michigan.

I was adopted by my first cat that I’ve ever had a few years ago. His name is Neelix, after the goodwill ambassador on Star Trek Voyager. Being a dog person, I had never really thought about having a cat but he changed my mind. He’s very persuasive. About a year later, I adopted a cat from my rescue group. Her name is Ali. Now I don’t discriminate. I love cats and dogs equally.

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I was so moved by Mark’s love for Sprite, that when he passed on, we created a memorial page for Sprite on FindaGrave.com. Here is the link to Sprite’s page: findagrave.com. The picture is of my beautiful “hairy daughter,” Dolly Clementine Davis. Thanks for this section.

Best, Don from CA

On July 4th 2005, my family lost Roxy, our 4-year old Golden Retriever to Gastric Dilation Volvulus Syndrome, commonly known as bloat. It seems an insignificant occurrence in light of all the death, destruction and suffering in the world today but they are mutually exclusive events. Our personal loss does not minimize world affairs but my story may save someone else’s dog.

Roxy was a beautiful, healthy and active Golden. No words could overstate how sweet she was or how much we loved her. She lived to make people happy. She loved people more than food. She made everyone feel special. Anyone and everyone that ever met Roxy loved her. Roxy had a great life. She spent the summers at the beach. She got to swim in the ocean several times a week. I ran with her a few times a week. My wife walked her each morning and afternoon and I walked her every evening. Roxy was in excellent shape.

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I thought you would like this story:
Maricopa County was spending approx. $18 million dollars a year on stray animals, like cats and dogs. Sheriff Joe offered to take the department over, and the County Supervisors said okay.

The animal shelters are now all staffed and operated by prisoners. They feed and care for the strays. Every animal in his care is taken out and walked twice daily. He now has prisoners who are experts in animal nutrition and behavior. They give great classes for anyone who’d like to adopt an animal. He has literally taken stray dogs off the street, given them to the care of prisoners, and had them place in dog shows. The best part? His budget for the entire department is now under $3 million.

Teresa and I adopted a Weimaraner from a Maricopa County shelter two years ago He was neutered, and
current on all shots, in great health, and even ha d a microchip inserted the day we got him Cost us $78.
The prisoners get the benefit of about $0.28 an hour for working, but most would work for free, just to be out of their cells for the day. Most of his budget is for utilities, building maintenance, etc. He pays the prisoners out of the fees collected for adopted animals. I have long wondered when the rest of the country would take a look at the way he runs the jail system, and copy some of his ideas.

Phil from AZ