Sad endings and hopeful beginnings

R.I.P. WINFREE

On Saturday, November 10th, Sampson left Red Lake Rosie's Rescue enroute to Second Hand Dogs in Claremont. Patti takes many of the Red Lake shepherds, and our majestic Sampson was no exception. This guy has grown so much in the past month. Sam was surrendered at the October clinic. He was the "life of the party" at the shelter entertaining all the other dogs with his antics and tricks he played.
BEST OF LUCK SAMPSON

Sam rode out with the Leech Lake Legacy Puppy roundup volunteers, and was met by Dee Dee who called to say he was riding shotgun with her enroute to meet Patti.

I am sad today to learn that his mother Winfree was poisoned at her home by some intruder. Renee and Curtis and the family are very sad.

She died the same day Sampson left for his new life. Winfree was a beautiful purebred German Shepherd. She was Buster's ears, the older shepherd in the family who does not hear well anymore.

We are sorry for their loss, and wish little Sampson the best of everything.

Karen

Jessica and her bff Sampson

The Mother's Day post for Jessica triggered an update from Jessica's new family which includes another Red Lake shepherd, Sampson:

JESSICA & SAMPSON SNUGGLINGHi There!

Just wanted to send some pictures and let you know that Jessica (who thanks you very much for the Mother's Day post about her kids) is happy and healthy here with her brother Sampson (also from Red Lake and Second Hand Dogs).

SAMPSON & JESSICA OUTSIDEWe play most of the day and love to chase squirrels and robins. We've had to back off on her food now as she is rather curvy and muscular now.

JESSICA & MOM & KITTIESShe is such a sweet girl and takes good care of her kitties too.

JESSICA COUCH POTATOShe loves to snuggle on the couch snoring away.

SAMPSON & JESSICA SNOOZINGThanks again for my beauties and for all you do. Hope to make it up some weekend this summer to volunteer.

Sampson

FROM SECONDHAND DOG:
Karen,

Summer of 2008, you sent a 3-4 month old pup to me named Sampson. He had wandered into the clinic as a stray and you had him vetted and sent him to me. I had some issues with him being food aggressive and so I put him into a foster home, which incidentally, ended up being his permanent home officially in Feb 2009. Thought you might enjoy what his mom sent to me:

FROM SAMPSON'S NEW HOME:
I would love it if you would forward this onto Karen. I’m all about encouraging and thanking people like you two for what you do.

We haven’t weighed him real recently but I believe he’s probably still right around 100 lbs. I also have a short little video to send you sometime of him howling which, between that and crying is his main form of communication. We RARELY hear him bark! He also has this funny thing where he rubs against you just like a cat when you get home from work or when he’s looking for love. He’s definitely a different boy and we love it!

I’ll get you that video soon!
Thank YOU for everything!