A friend recommended the book, Saving Pepsi. "Hmmm, never heard of that book. Do you mean Rescuing Sprite?" I asked. "Oh yeah, right, their 6 year old dog's name is Pepsi. Rescuing Sprite, Saving Pepsi, Saving Private Ryan…after awhile all those dog stories begin to sound alike."

Rescuing Sprite is about a Cocker Spaniel mix that Mark Levin rescued from the shelter. "He's anywhere between six to eight years old," the shelter staff said. I immediately thought, "Could be ten." Sprite is closer to fourteen years old and has a brain tumor. He died two years after his adoption. Before, during and after the author wrote the book, he wondered why anyone would want to read a story about his dog. Half-way into the book, I was thinking the same. "How's the book," my husband asked. "It's okay. Man meets dog. Dog is old and sick. Dog dies," I said.

Spoiler alert. The story is not so much about life with an older and sick dog, but what Levin learned from Sprite and about himself. The story begins with Levin's first dog, Pepsi, a good-looking puppy from a pet store and after Sprite dies, ends with the adoption of Griffen, a Lhasa Alpo/Poodle mix with health problems, from a shelter. The shelter staff said Griffen might be around eight years old. "Closer to ten, I bet," Levin thought.

The book might be just an okay read, but Mark Levin is more than okay in my book.

An older dog with health issues is waiting to be adopted at the Dane County Humane Society. Her name is Wags. She is a 7 year old Beagle and was surrendered to the shelter because her owner didn't have enough time for her. She must go to an adults-only home. She's a sweet and social girl who is looking for that special person to give her a fresh start in life. For more information, call the Dane County Humane Society at 838-0413 or email Angela at arhodes@giveshelter.org.

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