Taking care of an older dog is not easy. I remember when my childhood dog, Jasmine, became a senior. She lost her eyesight but was able to navigate the safe, familiar pathways of our house just fine. She was okay for a while, and then, suddenly, she wasn’t. It all caught up with her. Her arthritis became unbearable, and it was difficult for her to get up to relieve herself. There was a lot of cleaning, there were a lot of vet bills, and finally, we let her go back to the earth in the most humane way possible.
We didn’t, as the case with Sammy the Cocker Spaniel, neglect her until she was near death and then put her in a trash bag, bring her to a shelter, and then claim to have found her that way by the side of the road. There are pictures of him from the day he was brought in on his Facebook page, but I’d rather not post them here.
Sammy was 13 when he was surrendered in a garbage bag, abused and neglected, and near death as a result. His former owners claimed they found him that way, but later they pleaded guilty to animal abuse charges. Even though Sammy is older, his human friends are committed to his recovery and now, at 15, Sammy can live out the rest of his days in peace.
He is deaf from years of untreated ear infections, but he still advocates for justice for animals such as himself — animals whose vulnerability has been taken advantage of by those who should be protecting them.
Check out Sammy’s Facebook page to keep track of his progress, and let him know Dogster sends our love.
Check out these adorable stories on Dogster:
- Pix We Love: Corgi Falls in Love With Newborn Baby
- Smash, Our Monday Miracle, Was Once Abandoned in the Utah Desert
- Two Geniuses Re-Create Famous Movie Scenes … with a Dog
About Liz Acosta: Dogster’s former Cuteness Correspondent, Liz still manages the site’s daily “Awws,” only now she also wrangles Dogster’s social media. That’s why she wants you to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and — her personal favorite — Instagram. See ya there!
