Dog on euth’ list looks at the camera as if to ask ‘why did they not love me enough’

Sammy is on the euthanasia list at the Brooklyn’s facility of the New York City Animal Care Centers for today. Volunteers at the shelter assure us how sweet Sammy is, and as he posed in front of the camera for a few photos, hopefully to help share his story, it’s as if he stared at the camera to ask:

Why did they not love me enough?

Dogs Lives Matter

Sammy was adopted in Houston and brought to New York City where he has lived for the last 4+ years. And why was he surrendered? Sammy was dumped at a high kill, overcrowded shelter because his owners were “no longer able to give him the time and attention he needed.”

Imagine how Sammy has tried to navigate through shelter life after having been with his family and the children he so loved to play with. Although it’s not going to happen, Sammy just wants to go home where his family took him “running his fields,” played tug o’war and play wrestled. The clever pooch happily learned his basic commands and knows how to sit, come, down, shake and spin and roll. He does well on a leash and needs to return to a quiet and stable home to regain his mojo.

Sadly, as time went on, his family spent less and less time with him. causing anxiety when he was left for hours alone.

No matter how busy things are, I always make time for Sammy! This big, sweet boy craves affection (feeling it even more so in a large, crowded shelter) – standing up in his kennel and barking at me, worried that I might overlook him. He zooms through the hallway, eager to get some relief from the stress and anxiety of a shelter environment, and is quickly ready for his daily back scratches and cheek rubs! I love watching his face light up and feeling all 60 lbs. of him gently wiggling into my legs as he laps up all the attention. He then does this cute little prance, like it was just the boost he needed before returning to his kennel. Sammy was adopted from a Texas shelter 4.5 years ago and came to us when his owner no longer had time for him. They describe him as friendly if approached in a friendly manner; lived nicely with two young children; and is partially housetrained. (I’ve seen his habits improve with regular and multiple daily walks). Sammy has some challenges, but with fear-free, positive-reinforcement training/behavior modification, he has great potential to make a wonderful family member!

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Check out his high-5s!

Sammy needs emergency placement. While Sammy has been social with caretakers and handlers, “he has begun to display a concerning level of kennel reactivity and has become a trigger for the other dogs in the room he is housed in. Despite best efforts to keep him comfortable, Sammy wails and bounces off his kennel walls.”

Family notes when Sammy was surrendered:

Sammy isn’t bothered during storms/fireworks. He is anxious when left alone and is hard to control. He isn’t bothered when you push or pull him off furniture, hold or restrain him, or disturb when sleeping. He is afraid when you give him a bath, brush him or touch his feet. He will bark and growl when someone unfamiliar approaches the home and a family member.

Another volunteer states:

“Sammy is one of my favorite dogs. Two things he loves most in life – getting attention from his human friends and treats. I walk him nearly every evening and sometimes we sit down the block on the Amazon bench, where he loves to calmly sit beside me and soak up all the cheek rubs and back scratches I lavish on him. He also loves when I feed him treats – and will sit and give paw, even giving a high-five, for them; and takes them very politely. The poor guy seems lonely and just wants to be with people. I’m impressed that despite his stress level, he never gets over-aroused (never jumping, grabbing the leash, mouthing, etc). His behaviors (other than around other dogs) are very calm and polite at all times. When Sammy gets multiple walks a day (i.e., my evening walk is his third), then his kennel is usually clean and he potties outside, which is an improvement from when he first came.”

Dogs Lives Matter

Sammy needs out of the shelter. On one of his more recent evaluations, Sammy had his front feet up on the bars and was barking when the handler arrived. Food treats were used to lure Sammy down to the ground. He was easily leashed. Sammy was run out of the kennel room on a tight lead, but he tried to kennel fight dogs on both sides of the aisle. Sammy was tense and alert on the way outside, but shook off and displayed a more neutral body once outside of the care center. He was responsive to the handler, following commands and taking treats gently. He pulled little to none and sniffed occasionally, but mostly kept his head up and his ears pinned back.

Please share Sammy’s plight with approved rescue organizations, friends, family and social media contacts. Sharing saves lives.

New Hope Rescue Only

Dogs to be pulled by a New Hope Partner Rescue, please contact [email protected]. Follow Sammy’s story and more information, please click here.

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