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It’s A Furrytail: Sammi The Dog Is Living The Life!

  • April 9, 2021
  • News

We are happy to share the heart-warming story of Sammi the dog’s rescue. From living in a makeshift doghouse in the freezing cold to tail wags and warm cuddles, Sam’s story truly has a fairytale ending.

While on a search and rescue mission in Grabouw, a small farm town, we found Sam starving, covered in mange and laying in his own feces. He had no reason to trust humans and was clearly petrified. But once he realized we were there to help, he became the sweetest boy you could imagine. We rushed him to a nearby veterinary clinic, where he received the best possible care and made rapid progress.

The problem was that winters in Grabouw are cold and harsh, and if Sam went back to his old life, he would just be another of the thousands of street dogs who fight for survival in this hard and unforgiving environment.

Sammi The Dog is living the life

The COVID-19 economic catastrophe has seen the situation for animals in this impoverished area spiral out of control. The result is uncontrolled breeding that has led to massive overpopulation.

Our Chief Campaigner, Luke Barritt, and his partner, Taryn Slabbert, refused to let Sam go back to life on the streets, particularly because poor Sam showed signs of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“You could tell Sam came from an extremely traumatic situation; he was scared and insecure,” says Taryn. “We already had two dogs, but could not abandon Sam, so we now have three dogs – all of which are rescues!”

It’s A Furrytail: Sammi The Dog Is Living The Life!
Sammi and his sister, Eva.

“Sam took a long time to come out of his shell and, even now, still shows signs of PTSD. He sometimes growls at my feet, and I have no idea why.”

“With patience, love, and kindness, we are happy that our Sammi has become an adorable happy little guy who loves his treats, walks and, most of all, snuggles with his mommy.” Luke and Taryn have affectionally nicknamed Sam “Phatti”: The coolest dog on the street!”

We believe that no animal should endure this kind of suffering and trauma. Victories like Sam make our work all the more special, and thanks to your donations, we have been able to help thousands of animals across the world. Please continue to donate. It really does make a big difference to an animal’s life.

By supporting our work, you are reaching out with caring hands to stop animal abuse

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Lisa-Mari Spence

Leadership Gifts Officer

Lisa-Mari was raised in South Africa and joined the NFA team as the UK fundraiser after relocating to Greece. With a background in public relations and a passion for helping animals her role at NFA is a perfect match.

Alissa Ford

Director of Leadership Gifts, USA

Alissa is the Director of Leadership Gifts in the United States. She has a background in nonprofit fundraising and marketing, but believes all paths led her to Network for Animals, where she is able to combine her professional experience with her personal passion for animal welfare. Alissa lives in Boston, Massachusetts with her husband and her fur-baby Ollie, who is treated like the prince he thinks he is, since his human brother and sister are grown and now living on their own. Alissa loves speaking to our supporters who she truly considers a community of fellow animal lovers.