Sammi !
This was a courtesy post. BHR volunteers responded to Sammi's plight... read on !
Fifteen year old Sammi has had a hard time of it for the past couple of years, because my father whom she’d been with from a very early age had to go into a care facility. Then we managed to find a kind man to adopt her, but his health has been failing lately so he too has to give her up. She’s now in a boarding kennel while I desperately try to find a foster home, or more hopefully, someone who’ll adopt her and care for her for the rest of her days.
Sammi is very devoted to her human caregivers, and suffers from separation anxiety when they’re not with her. For many years she lived with my elderly parents who spent virtually all their time at home. She has recently taken to howling when her last caregiver went out for a number of hours, so she would not be well suited to an apartment unless someone has the skills to reassure her that they won’t be out long. Ideally, she needs to live where someone is around almost all the time.
She is a very
cheerful, active senior, and enjoys the company of other dogs as long as they
don’t get too rambunctious with her. She will tend to be bossy with young dogs
who pester her too much. But she gets along great with small dogs. She loves
walks and also short swims, even though she has some arthritis. If she’s fed
Hill’s J/D, which supports joint disorders, she does very well indeed.
I believe she likes to think she’s looking after her human, since when my father was failing she was happy just to lie near him – not asking for very much else. She has been judged by a dog expert to be “a really good dog, well grounded, confident with good manners and social skills, polite when meeting other dogs. Sammi is a dog who is fairly strong in the dog world. She may be a bit of a nag and a rule enforcer among the pack. Once she settles in some place she might be the kind of dog to set limits with any others, but that is normal in the order of dog interactions.”
Update:
2 May
When Big Heart Rescue volunteers heard about Sammi's need for a loving home to spend her last few years in, the response was incredible.
Two amazing families came forward to bring Sammi home, to ensure she is loved forever and that she will never lose a home again.
Considering Sammi's separation anxiety a family was picked who were home most of the time and yesterday Sammi made her way to Gabriola Island where she will spend days walking on the beach, playing with her two new dog friends and enjoying the sunshine on her face.
Bill and Linda have accepted this girl as part of their pack and will now keep Sammi as a permanent foster under the care of Big Heart Rescue.
Considering Sammi is 15 or 16 years of age she has some vision and hearing loss, lumps and bumps and a need for peace in her remaining years. With great vet care and contentment we know her future has just begun.
This darling senior will no longer worry about what the next day will bring because her needs will always be meet and she will be loved as every companion deserves to be loved.
Thank you Bill and Linda for bringing this girl home!