In Northeast Philadelphia this past week, Sammi the 2-year-old Lhasa Apso snuck out of his house and ran into traffic. He was hit by a car and left on the side of the road. His family quickly noticed he had gone missing, and was absolutely devastated when they found him so badly injured. They took him to the ACCT Shelter in Philadelphia, fearing that they would have to surrender him because they couldn’t afford the extensive medical care he would need.
Photo Credit: Tiny Paws Rescue
Thankfully, ACCT recognized that this was a special dog and he could be saved, so they contacted Tiny Paws Rescue, based out of NJ. They agreed to help with Sammi’s medical needs. ACCT covered the x-rays and Tiny Paws rushed him to their vet, where he received surgery for severe hip injuries. Sammi has a long recovery period ahead of him, but is expected to make a full one!
Photo Credit: Tiny Paws Rescue
Usually, Sammi would then go into a foster home and eventually go up for adoption, but Tiny Paws Rescue decided to get in touch with his family to see if they wanted him back, because Sammi seemed distraught without them, refusing to eat or sleep. The Bolgers were overjoyed when Sammi called, because as it turned out, Sammi was the reason their non-verbal autistic son, Dwayne, began to speak. Dwayne opened up when they got Sammi and became a whole new kid – the two had an incredibly strong bond and his mother, Stephanie, was heartbroken when she thought he would never get to see him again. The reunion was filled with happy tears.
It’s hard to believe that complete strangers would come to the aid of a family’s beloved dog and ask for nothing in return, but we’re so incredibly happy and thankful that it does happen. If you’d like to help contribute to Sammi’s medical bills, you can visit the CrowdRise page here: Re-uniting Sammi.
Watch a recent newscast of the family being reunited with Sammi here:
References:
1. 6 ABC
2. Tiny Paws Rescue Facebook
