Pet of the Week for June 15, 2024
Remember sweet Samantha? We introduced you to her back in February, modeling the adorable pink pajamas a fan custom-made for her. It’s hard to believe this happy girl who loves to smile is still in the shelter after more than a year, so we decided to shine the spotlight on her again.
Samantha radiates joy. Yes, she’s been without a real home for a major chunk of her 2+ years, but that doesn’t get in the way of her happiness. She approaches almost every moment with enthusiasm, and enjoys life with a gusto that’s contagious.
FAAS volunteer Ileath Bridges describes Samantha as “silly, gentle and incredibly loving.” But because the shelter has been her home for so long, she had had a hard time adjusting to being inside a house, especially when it came time to spend the night at the home of a volunteer who was hoping to help her get accustomed to the outside world. This always-smiling girl was so anxious she had to go back to the shelter.
Fortunately, things are turning around, and Samantha has begun to acclimate to life outside FAAS. She recently had a very successful overnight stay at Ileath’s home, after spending the day with Ileath’s family not long before. Ileath wrote some notes about her time with Samantha. Here are some of her observations and insights, in her own words:
“Samantha digs the kiddos, at least my 10- and 12-year-old nephews, when we hung in a play date at the house a few months back. …When in the house, if I were to say no, she would listen. For example, there is a kitty that lives at the house. My housemate has the master bedroom and that’s where the kitten lives, primarily. So when Samantha would walk toward the hall area, I’d say, ‘No,’ and she would come happily back to the living room or main part of the house. No qualms about it.
“As for the overnight, she did better than I had expected, honestly. She and I slept out on the couch together. There were a few noises she wasn’t so sure of (the refrigerator, for example). She cuddled up to me and we slept mostly through the night with a few interruptions but that’s to be expected in a new setting. It’ll just take a little time for her. Having a place for her to run around freely is good too. …I have a big backyard that works great for this sort of thing. So she was pretty happy about that.”
Volunteers like Ileath, and the FAAS staff who work directly with Samantha, have helped this incredibly sweet doggie take enough baby steps that she’s now ready to step into a forever home. Can you be her sleepover buddy forever? Her adorable pink jammies come with her, and her adoption has been sponsored, so there is no fee!
Meet Samantha any day but Monday, noon to 4 p.m., at the shelter, 1590 Fortmann Way. See for yourself why the word “wigglebutt” was invented to describe such a happy doggie. And be prepared—her glee is contagious!
