Outstanding book, for anybody who has ever loved and lost a beloved companion animal. Will put a lump in your throat, a tear in your eye, and a feeling of warmth deep within your heart. Arlene Millman, author of BOOMERANG - A MIRACLE TRILOGY (The tale of a remarkable Boston Terrier).

I have been in the veterinary industry for over 15 years. Sadly, we often send condolence cards to owners when their pets pass away. Many years ago I started seeing a particular quote by Irving Townsend on these cards. It read, "We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necesssary plan." It took over 15 years to stumble across the book that contains this quote, but it was worth the wait. I recommend it from the heart. A truly memorable experience.

Irving Townsend revisits the lives of some of his favorite animals and the ways they have touched him. Read about Prince, the horse saved from an auction, who blossomed and came into his own; the cat without a name who shared his life for a few months to recover from an injury. These are the characters, but he tells their stories as they affect him. It is his sense of loss that we feel and understand. An excellent book for anyone who has ever loved or lost a pet or companion animal.

From the moment the Collie sets out on his adventure, the book is gripping and suspenseful. It is along the lines of the books about the collie Lad by Albert Payson Terhune. It is captivating right up until the very end! A book hard to put down once you have started to read it. Animals lovers will not want to miss this one.

This book is recommended very highly. The writer clearly knows collies, knows a variety of types of people and can write very well. Duffy is a three year old collie who gets separated from his home. Before he is able to return he meets a variety of people, some well-meaning some not, some who know dogs some not, but many of whom end up trying to sell or give him to someone else. He also affects two people whom he meets enough for them to arrange separate efforts to break into a shelter to rescue him when his time is almost up. The concentration is on Duffy. There is no attempt to anthropomorphize or be sentimental. However, one will find oneself at times smiling pleasantly and at other times with eyes starting to get wet. The final third of the book is especially well done. While an older child might enjoy the story, the writing style is definitely oriented toward the adult reader (not because of sex, violence or offensive language but because of sophistication of style). This book leaves one with a very positive feeling, regretting only that we will not see more such stories from this author. Unfortunately he died in 1981. We can thank the publisher for now making his last effort available to the reading public.