2Ruth Refused to Give Up on Sammy After Multiple Surgeries
When Ruth Gentry and her son adopted Sammy, a Great Pyrenees–Labrador retriever mix, they expected to give a rescue dog a permanent home. Instead, shortly after his adoption in 2022, Sammy developed severe mobility problems.
Veterinarians discovered that his serious ligament problems were connected to luxating patellas, a condition affecting his knees. Multiple surgeries followed, but Sammy remained almost immobile.
The situation became particularly difficult for Ruth, who was raising her son as a single mother. The family faced substantial veterinary expenses and the emotional strain of caring for a dog whose future was uncertain. Yet returning Sammy was never the solution they wanted.
With guidance from veterinarians at UC Davis, Sammy was eventually fitted with a wheelchair and prosthetic knee braces. The equipment made a major difference to his mobility and quality of life.
Perhaps the most touching part of the story is that Sammy also became an important source of emotional support for Ruth’s son, Roan. What began as a rescue adoption became a commitment that the family refused to abandon.
