- : From the day I brought him home Sammy has been my closest companion and my biggest supporter. Even on my worst days he is right there at my side with a big goofy grin on his face and an endless supply of snuggles, and no matter where life has taken us he has stuck faithfully beside me. He has supported me through breakups and drama, protected me during a month-long span of homelessness, and has been the one constant in my rollercoaster life. Sometimes I wonder how different things would be today if I hadn't signed the papers and made Sammy mine, but then I realize that then this beautiful soul would not be in my face each morning begging for breakfast and attention (In that order) and he wouldn't have been able to overcome his abusive past and transform into the spunky little mutt he is today. I am honestly the lucky one in this relationship because I would not be half the woman I am today without his unwavering loyalty and endless capacity for love.
- : I first saw Sammy when he came into the shelter I worked at in Mississippi. He and his three siblings were wounded, malnourished, and frightened. They had been beaten with a shovel by the man who kept their mother chained outside in his yard 24/7, and were then thrown in a trash bag to be disposed of like garbage. A neighbor witnessed the atrocity and called animal control for help, and the little family was brought into our care. Sammy had a fractured skull, cracked ribs, and multiple flesh wounds. His siblings weren't much better off, and the fifth pup in their litter never survived the attack... But they healed, and they recovered - all except Sam. He was traumatized and terrified of the world around him: burying himself beneath the shredded newspaper in his kennel to hide from the noisy, crowded shelter environment while his brothers and sister opened up into normal, happy four-month-old puppies. But he continued to cower in fear, and his siblings were all adopted out into loving families while he was overlooked and left behind. I watched him every day and worked with him: bringing him out of his cage and cuddling him while promising that not everyone in the world was a monster who tried to murder innocent pups. Yet still the time came where the shelter just didn't have room for an 'unadoptable' animal, and he was scheduled for euthanasia. That very same day I signed his adoption paperwork. I could see the spark in his eyes and I knew that despite his horrible beginning he still deserved a chance to thrive and experience the life he deserved. The first few months were a slow and gentle introduction to the outside world, and I was challenged with a broken young puppy who went into a terrified fit each time a leaf skittered by or he noticed his own shadow following him. But very slowly he began to gain his confidence and stopped shying away from new experiences. We met dozens of people, explored new places, and began having great adventures. We were even homeless for a month and living out of a motel room, but my brave little man stayed faithfully by my side. Then we moved three states over from Mississippi to Florida, lived with my parents for a time where he bonded closely with my five-year-old brother, and now we're living in a stable home and he just loves coming to work with me every day at a doggy daycare. Each hour, day, week, and month that passes only brings us closer together, and I am so astonished at his transformation from a wounded, petrified youngster into a happy-go-lucky young dog. February 17th, 2015 he and I celebrated our one year 'adopt-a-versary', and now this gorgeous animal enjoys nothing more than leaping headfirst into any body of water he can find or running the trails with me when I go horseback riding. We've begun documenting our adventure on Facebook, and we're so surprised at the number of people who've joined us on our journey. My Sammy boy and I have been through so much this past year, and we can't wait to experience so many new and exciting things in the years to come. He has my heart, just as I have his.
- : The Humane Society of South Mississippi
- : Stephanie S.
- : Birthday: Nov.11,2013 Gotcha Day: Feb.17,2014
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