Shelter Fundraiser for Sammy
Donation protected
If you’re reading this, thank you. It means you’re a friend, or a friend of a friend, or a hapless internet traveler who has stumbled across this post.
I created this go fund me in the days after losing my best bud, Sammy. I’ll explain why but first let me tell you a little bit about Sammy.
I got Sammy from a farm out in the country on the 4th of July in 2015 when he was just six weeks old. There was a whole litter of pups, but Sam came right up to me, and when I picked him up, something about the way he looked at me made me feel like we were meant to be buds. I wasn’t wrong.
Over the last 2.5 years I got to see him grow up to the big 60 lb puppy he became. He was loving, protective, loyal, and mostly a goober. Sammy loved getting belly rubs more than anything. Didn’t care much for walks. Or frisbee. Or fetch. Or tug of war. I’m pretty sure the only reason he ate or drank was to live long enough for more belly rubs. Everyone who was lucky enough to meet Sammy knew this too, as he would shamelessly guilt folks into rubbing his belly if I’d grown tired of it.
Sammy had the pleasure of meeting many of my friends, and getting to know other families when my job had me traveling or when construction on my house made it unsafe for him to be there. Everywhere Sammy went, he made people smile. I’ve never known a dog with so many people friends, people talked about him like he was my roommate more than a pet. Friends would stop by my house while I was at work or out on errands just to say hi to him and give him love.
At home, when it was just the two of us, Sammy was like my shadow. He had to walk through a door at the same time as me, he’d try to hang out while I was in the bathroom, he’d impede my ability to put socks on every morning, and I’ve tripped over him countless times when he’d lay down behind me while I’d brush my teeth or fix a sandwich.
The things I’ll remember most about Sammy are the times he’d sit and attentively listen to me play guitar and sing to him, the times he’d supervise my Home construction projects, the time he found a way under my house during fireworks and I had to rescue him from under my house, and just how much he wanted my attention REGARDLESS of whatever I was doing.
Sammy unfortunely was also a bit of a Houdini and an explorer and managed to escape the confines of my yard on occasion, to which I’d have to figure out just what he did to get out. I’d fix one thing, he’d find or make another problem. Luckily a friend, a neighbor, or a kind stranger would put him back up if they saw him before I’d come home from work. Otherwise he’d be sitting on the front porch when I got home looking a little too happy about breaking the rules. On the morning of October 15th, Sammy decided that he would do something different and cross the street after getting out, and he was hit and killed by a car.
The days since have been extremely hard. My house is quiet. My shadow is gone.
But I believe that when in darkness it is important to look for the light. I am so blessed to have so many friends reach out and give me love in this time of grief and it has meant so much to me. Many people have asked me what they can do to help and it got me thinking: if something good can come from something tragic, it would give Sammy’s life even more meaning and would make me feel like I’ve been able to give love in the same way people have shown me.
At first I figured, if I’m not spending $50 a month on dog food for Sam, maybe I could spend the same amount for other dogs. I contacted my local shelter (Huntsville Animal Services in Huntsville, AL) and was shocked to find out how much help they need. Turns out they are always looking for donations, and need items ranging from dog toys to kennels to old towels and blankets and food. This made me want to do much more.
I am hoping that with your help, we can raise a sizeable donation to give to the folks who look out for animals in need. Sammy was 2.5 so i figured $2500 was a fitting goal. I'm hoping we can get there in a week. If you can spare anything to help make the life of a shelter animal a little more pleasurable, and to help out the wonderful volunteers at the shelter, it would mean the world to them and to me.
If you are unable to give monetarily, but still want to contribute, get in touch with me about what other items you own that you may be able to donate to them.
Thank you so so much for your time, and even if you don’t donate, I’m happy I got to share a little bit of Sammy’s life with you.
I created this go fund me in the days after losing my best bud, Sammy. I’ll explain why but first let me tell you a little bit about Sammy.
I got Sammy from a farm out in the country on the 4th of July in 2015 when he was just six weeks old. There was a whole litter of pups, but Sam came right up to me, and when I picked him up, something about the way he looked at me made me feel like we were meant to be buds. I wasn’t wrong.
Over the last 2.5 years I got to see him grow up to the big 60 lb puppy he became. He was loving, protective, loyal, and mostly a goober. Sammy loved getting belly rubs more than anything. Didn’t care much for walks. Or frisbee. Or fetch. Or tug of war. I’m pretty sure the only reason he ate or drank was to live long enough for more belly rubs. Everyone who was lucky enough to meet Sammy knew this too, as he would shamelessly guilt folks into rubbing his belly if I’d grown tired of it.
Sammy had the pleasure of meeting many of my friends, and getting to know other families when my job had me traveling or when construction on my house made it unsafe for him to be there. Everywhere Sammy went, he made people smile. I’ve never known a dog with so many people friends, people talked about him like he was my roommate more than a pet. Friends would stop by my house while I was at work or out on errands just to say hi to him and give him love.
At home, when it was just the two of us, Sammy was like my shadow. He had to walk through a door at the same time as me, he’d try to hang out while I was in the bathroom, he’d impede my ability to put socks on every morning, and I’ve tripped over him countless times when he’d lay down behind me while I’d brush my teeth or fix a sandwich.
The things I’ll remember most about Sammy are the times he’d sit and attentively listen to me play guitar and sing to him, the times he’d supervise my Home construction projects, the time he found a way under my house during fireworks and I had to rescue him from under my house, and just how much he wanted my attention REGARDLESS of whatever I was doing.
Sammy unfortunely was also a bit of a Houdini and an explorer and managed to escape the confines of my yard on occasion, to which I’d have to figure out just what he did to get out. I’d fix one thing, he’d find or make another problem. Luckily a friend, a neighbor, or a kind stranger would put him back up if they saw him before I’d come home from work. Otherwise he’d be sitting on the front porch when I got home looking a little too happy about breaking the rules. On the morning of October 15th, Sammy decided that he would do something different and cross the street after getting out, and he was hit and killed by a car.
The days since have been extremely hard. My house is quiet. My shadow is gone.
But I believe that when in darkness it is important to look for the light. I am so blessed to have so many friends reach out and give me love in this time of grief and it has meant so much to me. Many people have asked me what they can do to help and it got me thinking: if something good can come from something tragic, it would give Sammy’s life even more meaning and would make me feel like I’ve been able to give love in the same way people have shown me.
At first I figured, if I’m not spending $50 a month on dog food for Sam, maybe I could spend the same amount for other dogs. I contacted my local shelter (Huntsville Animal Services in Huntsville, AL) and was shocked to find out how much help they need. Turns out they are always looking for donations, and need items ranging from dog toys to kennels to old towels and blankets and food. This made me want to do much more.
I am hoping that with your help, we can raise a sizeable donation to give to the folks who look out for animals in need. Sammy was 2.5 so i figured $2500 was a fitting goal. I'm hoping we can get there in a week. If you can spare anything to help make the life of a shelter animal a little more pleasurable, and to help out the wonderful volunteers at the shelter, it would mean the world to them and to me.
If you are unable to give monetarily, but still want to contribute, get in touch with me about what other items you own that you may be able to donate to them.
Thank you so so much for your time, and even if you don’t donate, I’m happy I got to share a little bit of Sammy’s life with you.
Organiser
Anthony Vizzini
Organiser
Huntsville, AL
