Rescuing Sprite: Book Review- Pet Rescue Magazine May 2008

4 ½ out of 5 Paws

Rescuing Sprite: A Dog Lover’s Story of Joy and Anguish

By Mark R. Levin

Written by Mark R. Levin who is an American radio host and attorney, this is a poignant tale of a family who adopted a dog at the ripe old age of ten.

Seeking a companion for their dog Pepsi, the owners stop in at a humane society’s foster program and although Mark is at first unsure of adopting a second dog, he changes his tune when he meets the soon to be named Sprite.

Now I tend to avoid what I call “dead dog” books, those books that recount their now dead pet’s antics. This book is one of those. In fact, it’s spelled out on the back cover. I don’t like reading them because frankly I just hate crying like a baby at the end of the story.

Yet, I picked this one up because there was something about the story of adopting a dog who was a senior citizen that appealed to me. So many older dogs sit in foster homes or humane societies because people can’t see the benefit of adopting a dog that will only be around for a few years, so I wanted to read a book that might make a difference to that kind of thinking.

This book might be the one to convince potential owners of the benefits of adopting the elderly. While the story itself isn’t remarkable, it is beautiful and touching, and anyone who has ever lost a dog will relate to the events illustrated in the text. With little black and white photos depicting the short life of Sprite, this book will certainly bring joy and a deeper meaning of how important it is to embrace life and family. At 216 pages, you could probably finish this book in one sitting, but what is written will stay with you always, and every time you look into the face of your favourite companion, you’ll smile