VHS Adoption Spotlight

VHS ADOPTION SPOTLIGHT SAMMIE

Leah Crabtree and her husband live out in the country up in Princeton - a perfect area for dog ownership; however, as renters, they weren't allowed to house a furry friend. But recently, the couple's landlord gave permission and the search for a rescue began - a search that ultimately led to the VHS. "We really weren't looking for any particular breed - just visiting with the dogs and letting the dog pick us," Crabtree explains. "You can kind of tell when you hit it off with animals." One dog in particular, a Min Pin/Jack Russell mix with a great personality, made it known that he was very happy to see them. But "Sammie" was a senior - 10-years-old, in fact - which gave Crabtree and her husband pause despite their interest in adopting him. "We kind of debated on it, but we went back to visit him a couple of times and he recognized us and got excited so we decided this is the one," she says.

Sammie made a wise choice, indeed. After spending a decade with his prior family who then dropped him off at the shelter when they had to move, he's now in a wonderful forever home where he'll live out the rest of his days in great care. Reportedly, Sammie has adapted to his new surroundings well - and not a single accident in the house since they brought him back to Princeton. "It was like he was meant to be here," Crabtree says. "As soon as you sit down he's in your lap wanting some loving. He's so well-behaved and doesn't chew on anything."

And Sammie's smart, too. Crabtree notes that he knows the meaning of a number of words, but two in particular make him go bananas: car ride. "He starts barking and jumping up and down," she says. "On Sunday for lunch we always go to my husband's parents; it's like he knows and senses, starts pacing. As soon as we say we're ready to go he gets so excited." Yes, Sammie may be a senior, but he's still got plenty of puppy in him and still enjoys playing fetch, among other activities. But when the sun goes down, he's more than ready to snooze - on the couple's bed, as it turns out. "He'll jump up and we'll coax him up to us so we can pet him. We just feel blessed to have him."