When Mark was a child, he only had one family dog. He was not then aware that his heart and home would eventually expand to include the forty-six animals that currently inhabit the Hansen compound, including four cats, three dogs, two birds, two horses, several goldfish, one bunny, one duck who thinks he is a chicken, and twenty-five chickens, all of which have names.
Mark is a big man with a heart and spirit to match—an inspiration to all who seek to better themselves.
For further information about Mark write:
P.O. Box 7665
Newport Beach, CA 92658
phone: 714-759-9304 or 800-433-2314
fax: 714-722-6912
Web site: http://www.chickensoup.com
Who Is Marty Becker, D.V.M.?
What Jacques Cousteau did for the oceans and Carl Sagan did for space, Dr. Marty Becker is doing for The Bond. He has made it a mission to enthusiastically celebrate, protect and nurture this powerful, life-enhancing relationship we share with our pets.
As a veterinarian, best-selling author, university educator, media personality, professional communicator, devoted pet lover and Good Samaritan for pets, Dr. Marty Becker is widely recognized as the “best loved family doctor for pets” in the world.
Dr. Becker was recently named Chief Bond Petopian by Petopia.com, the leading Internet Web site for pets and the people who love them. He is a widely acclaimed veterinary contributor to ABC-TV’s Good Morning America and stars in a variety of segments for Walt Disney Television’s series Petsburgh, U.S.A., now entering its second season on Animal Planet. Dr. Becker is a contributing editor for Pets: part of the family magazine and has been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, USA Weekend, TV Guide, National Enquirer, and many other leading newspapers and magazines.
Having been a doggedly persistent communicator on six continents and in over sixty countries, Dr. Becker has helped pioneer the way we interact with and take responsibility for our pets. Dr. Becker has lectured at all twenty-seven of the veterinary schools in North America and has delivered keynote addresses on The Bond to groups ranging from national organizations and corporate boardrooms to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
When he isn’t traveling the globe passionately speaking about the importance of The Bond, Dr. Becker devotes his life to his family at Almost Heaven Ranch in northern Idaho, which includes his beloved wife of over twenty years, Teresa, daughter Mikkel and son Lex, along with their other kids: Scooter, a wire-haired fox terrier; Sirloin, a Labrador retriever; cats Turbo and Tango; and Gabriel, Pegasus, Sugar Babe and Chex, their four quarter horses.
For more information, please contact Marty Becker at:
P.O. Box 2775
Twin Falls, ID 83301-2775
phone: 208-734-0598
fax: 208-733-0666
Web site: www.petopia.com
e-mail:
[email protected] Who Is Carol Kline?
Carol Kline has been a pet lover her entire life. She is the co-director of the Noah’s Ark Animal Foundation Dog Rescue Program, in Fairfield, Iowa, a volunteer effort that saves lost, stray and abandoned dogs.
Carol spends many hours a week monitoring the fate of animals that are brought into the city pound. She also walks, feeds and “socializes” the dogs at the Noah’s Ark facility, a cageless shelter for cats and dogs. “The gratitude and love I receive from these animals are more fulfilling than any paycheck I could ever receive. Volunteering time with the dogs fills my heart, and brings great joy to my life.”
A freelance writer for twelve years, Carol, who has a B.A. in literature, has written for newspapers, newsletters and other publications. She is also coauthor of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul. Recently, she has contributed stories and her editing talents to other Chicken Soup for the Soul books.
In addition to her writing and animal work, Carol is also a speaker, self-esteem facilitator and certified instructor of the parenting skills program, Redirecting Children’s Behavior (RCB). The first RCB instructor in Iowa, Carol presents workshops and in-service programs for childcare providers, and teaches a five-week program for parents. She has also been a counselor at a self-esteem camp in Missouri for teens and kids. Since 1975, Carol has taught stress-management programs to the general public. In 1990, she studied with Jack Canfield, and since then has assisted as a facilitator in his annual Train the Trainers program. Her dynamic and engaging style has won her enthusiastic receptions from the various audiences she addresses.
Carol has the good fortune to be married to Larry Kline, and is proud stepmother to Lorin and McKenna. Carol’s former “foster dogs,” Jimmy and Beethoven, have found a permanent home with Carol and join Hannah and Larry’s new dog, Beau, as cherished members of the family.
To contact Carol:
P.O. Box 1262, Fairfield, IA 52556
phone: (515) 469-3889
fax: (515) 472-3720
e-mail:
[email protected] Contributors
Many of the stories in this book were taken from books we have read, which are acknowledged in the Permissions section. If you would like to contact authors for information on their books, tapes or seminars, you can reach them at the addresses and phone numbers provided.
Many of the stories were also contributed by readers like yourself, who responded to our request for stories. We have also included information about them.
Janine Adams is an award-winning dog writer who has published dozens of magazine articles about pets in a variety of animal-related publications nationwide. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and their standard poodles, Kramer and Scout.
Bryan Aubrey is a former professor of English and is the author of two books and numerous articles and reviews. He is English, but has lived in Iowa since 1981. In 1993, he was joined by his German-trained, British-mannered cat, Prince Peter. Bryan can be reached at 1100 East Madison Ave., Fairfield, IA 52556 or by calling 515-472-2224.
Charles Barsotti has been a cartoonist with the New Yorker magazine for twenty-seven years. His work has appeared in the Atlantic, the New York Times, USA Today, Fast Company, Texas Monthly, Playboy, Barron’s and many other publications. He has published four books. Visit his Web site at www.barsotti.com.
Barbara Bartocci is an award-winning author and speaker. Her latest book is Midlife Awakenings: Discovering the Gifts Life Has Given Us (Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame). She speaks before women’s conferences and business audiences throughout the United States and Canada. For more information, call toll-free 877-214-9625 or e-mail
[email protected] Carol Ann Baum is a New Jersey-based freelance writer, retired from her previous career as a driver of a large school bus for a private carrier. She is married and the mother of two grown sons. She has always written, but not seriously until recently.
Ellen Perry Berkeley, formerly senior editor of the Architectural Forum, is author of the heart-warming and fact-filled Maverick Cats: Encounters with Feral Cats. For an autographed and personalized copy of this acclaimed and award-winning book, send a check for $12.95 to Ellen at Box 311, Shaftsbury, VT 05262.
Martha Campbell is a graduate of Washington University School of Fine Arts, and a former writer-designer for Hallmark Cards. Since she became a freelancer in 1973, she has had over twenty thousand cartoons published and has illustrated nineteen books. She can be reached at P.O. Box 2538, Harrison, AR 72602 or by calling 870-741-5323.
Roger Caras a prolific author and broadcast correspondent on animals, wildlife and the environment, became president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in October 1991. It was the latest challenge for a man whose career in animal welfare began at age ten. Caras, a mainstay in the movement to promote adoptions and stop the killing of retired greyhounds, owns four greyhounds and eight other dogs, nine cats, five horses, two cows, a llama, two alpaca and assorted other animals on his farm/retreat in western Maryland.
Dave Carpenter has been a full-time free
lance cartoonist and humorous illustrator since 1981. His cartoons have appeared in Barron’s, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Woman’s World, First, the Saturday Evening Post and numerous other publications. Dave can be reached at P.O. Box 520, Emmetsburg, IA 50536 or by calling 712-852-3725.
Cindy Podurgal Chambers is a freelance writer, editor, photojournalist and advertising copywriter with hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles to her credit. A well-known public speaker specializing in humorous and motivational topics, she is frequently featured at seminars, as well as on television and radio talk shows. She is currently putting the finishing touches on a collection of humorous reminiscences entitled Growing Up in the Sixties and Other Tales of Horror. She can be reached by e-mail at
[email protected] John E. Cooper,D.T.V.M., F.R.C.V.S., was the lead veterinarian for the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) in central Africa from 1993 to 1995. The project provides veterinary care and monitors the health of the highly endangered mountain gorillas. Dr. Cooper obtained his Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree from Bristol University in 1962 and was granted membership to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1966. He lives in England with his wife, Margaret. Morris Animal Foundation’s Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project is one of just a few projects in the world that provides health care for an endangered species in its natural habitat. To contribute to or help Morris Animal Foundation call 800-243-2345, visit the Web site at www.morrisanimalfoundation.org or send a tax-deductible donation to 45 Inverness Dr. E., Englewood, CO 80112.
Jo Coudert is a freelance writer, a frequent contributor to Woman’s Day and Reader’s Digest, and the author of nine books, among them the bestselling Advice From a Failure and Seven Cats and the Art of Living, and her most recent, The Good Shepherd. She lives on the bank of a small river in western New Jersey with one person, one dog, and six cats, and there she gardens and paints watercolors.
Christie Craig is a writer, photographer and teacher. With over three hundred magazine credits and one published novel, her work has appeared in magazines such as Reader’s Digest, Pet Life, Cats and Bird Time. Known for her inspiration and encouragement, she teaches writing classes in Houston, Texas. For information, call 281-376-6474.
Barbara J. Crocker lives in Flat Rock, Michigan. She is a paralegal for Adams & Pope, P.L.L.C. Her husband, Michael, is an electrician. They have a twenty-two-year-old daughter, Amy, and a two-year-old Labrador retriever named Amber, who thinks she is in charge! Barbara and her family enjoy camping, boating, going to northern Michigan, taking the dog for long walks and Detroit Red Wings hockey. In her spare time she enjoys crocheting, counted cross-stitch, working in the yard and reading. She is a Sunday school superintendent and a Sunday school teacher at her church.
Christine Davis is the author of For Every Dog an Angel and for Every Cat an Angel, giftbooks celebrating the magical connection between people and their “forever dogs” and “forever cats.” She lives in Portland, Oregon with her dog Jake . . . and Jake’s kittens, Dickens, Pippen, Molly and Star. She can be reach at davis @lightheartedpress.com.
Lisa Duffy-Korpics is a high-school social studies teacher and freelance writer from Dutchess County, New York. Before becoming a teacher, she worked for the Peekskill Police Department as their animal control officer, an experience that provided her with a lot to write about! She enjoys spending time with her husband, Jason, her five-year-old son, Charles, and two-year-old daughter, Emily. She can be reached at
[email protected] Toni Eames is an author and lecturer who writes a column for Dog World magazine. Among her books are A Guide to Guide Dog Schools and Partners in Independence: A Success Story of Dogs and the Disabled. In 1998, she was inducted into the National Hall of Fame for Persons with Disabilities.
Alicia Karen Elkins shares her north Alabama home with two cats. She is the only female to receive service-connected disability for a bareback-bronco rodeo wreck on army time. A columnist for Native American and farm publications, Karen also enjoys writing poetry, covering events and being a stockyard barnhand at Fisk/Allison.
Jane Eppinga is a Tucson-based freelance writer. Her book, Henry Ossian Flipper: West Point’s First Black Graduate, was part of the petition presented to President William J. Clinton, who posthumously pardoned Henry O. Flipper. A racially biased court-martial removed Flipper from the military in 1882. Currently, she is working on a book entitled Arizona Folklore.
Benita Epstein’s cartoons appear in hundreds of publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s and Better Homes & Gardens. She has three cartoon collections: Suture Self, Interlibrary Loan Sharks and Seedy ROMS and Science of Little Round Things (McFarland & Co.). Benita can be reached by calling 760-634-3705 or by e-mail at
[email protected] Visit her Web site at www.reuben.org/benitaepstein/.
George Feifer is the author of eleven books of fiction and nonfiction. The New York Times Book Review named his book on Okinawa, TENNOZAN, a Notable Book of 1992. His articles and essays have appeared in magazines such as the Atlantic, Harper’s, the New York Times, New Republic, and the Boston Globe.
Mary Bucher Fisher composed “A Gift Exchange” for her 1987 Christmas card. She is a retired copyeditor who now freelances. Her credentials include B.A., cum laude; M.A., journalism; Phi Beta Kappa; Mensa; listings in Literary Market Place and three volumes of Who’s Who (women, Midwest, communications); and technical editing awards. Mary can be reached at 100 Glenmont Ave., Columbus, OH 43214 or by calling 614-262-5628.
Debbie Freeberg-Renwick and her husband, Tim, design and build everything from period costumes to custom cabins on wheels. Their motto, “Nothing is too good for our kitties,” led to the creation of the ultimate scratching post: a seven-foot faux marble classical column wrapped with matching rope. Jeeves and Poppy enjoy watching these activities and occasionally lend a paw. Jeeves mastered toilet training through the excellent book, Ray Berwick’s Complete Guide to Training Your Cat. Deb and Tim can be reached by e-mail at
[email protected] Joe Fulda has been into purebred dogs for more than thirty years, as well as being a breeder, exhibitor, trainer, groomer and kennel operator. Joe has been an AKC judge and is a past president of the Tacoma, Washington, Kennel Club. He authored an award-winning weekly pets column for Tacoma New Tribune for eleven years and has contributed articles to major dog magazines since 1967. He was twice vice president of the Dog Writers’ Association of America. Joe also was the talk-show host on KLAY as “The Pet Professor” in Lakewood, Washington, for three years. He is the author of Maltese, A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual (Barron’s, 1996).
Randy Glasbergen has had more than twenty-five thousand cartoons published in magazines, books and greeting cards around the world. He also creates The Better Half, which is syndicated to newspapers by King Features Syndicate. You can find more of Randy’s cartoons online at www.glasbergen.com.
H. Gordon Green was known at the time of his death in 1991 to readers of his weekly columns in the Toronto Star and Montreal’s the Gazette. H. Gordon Green will also be remembered across the country for his regular commentaries on more than thirty radio stations, including CBC, and for his twenty years as contributing editor of the now defunct Family Herald, Canada’s most widely read magazine.
Jim Grove and daughter, Amy, live in Winter Park, Florida. Amy is ten years old and a fourth-grader. Jim and his wife, Leslie, have been married for eighteen years and have two other children, David and Jennifer. They also have a dog named Flower; two rabbits, Oreo and Thumper; a leopard gecko named Tiger and a new hamster, Sunshine. Jim, a financial advisor, enjoyed a twenty-year career as a sports writer and editor at four daily newspapers. Hopefully, his writing career is just beginning. He can be reached at 3063 Ash Park Loop, Winter Park, FL 32792, by calling 800-356-3009, ext. 3009, or by e-mail at
[email protected] Liz Gunkelman, D.V.M., is a 1987 Graduate of Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine. She lives on an acreage near Glenwood, Iowa, with her husband, tw
o sons and various critters. Dr. Gunkelman works part-time at Best Care Pet Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. Her full-time job is “Mom.” She can be reached at Best Care Pet Hospital at 3030 “L” St., Omaha, NE 68107 or by calling 402-734-1494.
G. Edgar Hall is a University of Arizona retiree and a member of the Society of Southwestern Authors and the Southeastern Arizona Christian Writers Fellowship. His publications have appeared in nostalgic, religious, outdoor and historical magazines and newspapers. He is seventy-nine years old, married and has seventy-two grandchildren. Presently, Edgar is working on a book of family stories entitled Hall Family Footprints.
Vincent Hans is the national sales and marketing manager for Vanguard Records. During his free time, he enjoys giving tours at the William S. Hart Museum in Newhall, California. Norma Hans is a full-time college student majoring in business. She is also an aspiring actress. Vince and Norma reside in Valencia, California, and have been soul mates since 1987. They are very grateful to Dr. Tracy McFarland (The Cat Doctor) of Newhall, California, for keeping Ragamuffin healthy for the past seven years. Vince, Norma, Ragamuffin and Maggie can be reached by e-mail at
[email protected] Ellen Harvey is a writer and publicist with the United States Trotting Association, the registry for Standardbred horses. Raised on a horse farm in western Pennsylvania, her father and brother are both racehorse trainers. She can be reached at HRC, 41 Rt. 34, Colts Neck, NJ 07722, by calling 732-780-3700 or by e-mail at
[email protected] Jonny Hawkins is a nationally known cartoonist whose work has appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, National Enquirer, Barron’s and over 175 other publications. His syndicated comic feature, Hi and Jinx, runs in many U.S. newspapers.
Bill Holton is a freelance writer living in Key West, Florida. He can be reached by e-mail at
[email protected] David C. Hoopes lives, works and writes in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with his wife Sandra and his pal, Wolfgang, a 115-poundGerman shepherd. He is currently seeking representation for his first novel, while working on his second.