Lisa sent this dedication about Sammy on April 24, 2001.

I would like to dedicate this letter to my beloved Golden Sammy. Sammy was four-months-old when he came into my husband John's and my life. From the very beginning he was an incredible joy. We never had to fence him in the yard as for some reason he knew exactly where his property lines were and would never go beyond. One day we had a rabbit running through our yard and of course it caught Sammy's eye. He took off chasing him to play of course but as soon as he heard my husband's voice say no he stopped in a flash and came running to his side. Sammy was definitely a momma's boy, there was never a time that he wasn't by my side. If I went to bed there was Sammy ready and willing to keep my feet warm.
   
Unfortunately those wonderful times did not last long. About a year and a half after he came into our lives, Sammy began to vomit which of course we did not think was a sign of anything really wrong because he was still a baby but my husband took him to the vet anyway because he was our baby and you do what you would do if one of your children was sick. I will never forget the look in my husband's eyes when I came home from work. John told me that Sammy's kidneys were shutting down and we had to get him back to the vet right away so they could begin to flush out his kidneys. When we talked to the vet he said that his kidneys were so small that they would not even equal one normal size kidney for a dog of his size. So we left our Sammy in his care for three days which was the first time he was ever away from us unless he was at Grandma's and Grandpa's house.
   
Needless to say our hearts were broken but we were optimistic as the vet said that since he was so young he may have a fair chance. But our hopes were shattered as one week later he relapsed so off to the vet we went. He said that he was in such bad shape but that he could not believe how happy and energetic he was so we went to a animal hospital at my vet's request for second opinion. They had taken a sonogram of his kidneys and they said he had the worst case of Kidney Disease that they had ever seen. They said not only were they so small but what he did have had holes in them. So through many tears it was time to make a decision. Do we put down a dog that appears so happy and healthy or do we try everything to give him a good life for as long as we were allowed.
   
We did the latter, we took Sammy to his home and gave him IV fluids two times a day and about ten pills. The doctor said that if we put him on a low protein dog food it may have given him a little longer than the two months expected but we made the decision that if our Sammy could live an extra week eating something he hated than he would live one week less on anything his heart desired which meant steak. I'll tell you there are things in your life you could never imagine yourself doing such as waking up every morning at 4:00 a.m. to give your dog a needle but you realize the strength you get when it is a fight to keep him alive. Most people said I can't believe the money you two spent and maybe you just need to let him go. But like I said, in his heart he was not suffering, he was very active and loving. He never even struggled with us to take his medicine. I think he knew we were doing it for us as well as him.
   
The worst part of it was the ups and downs and not knowing if it was the end or not. I prayed many times that he would just pass in his sleep as this was not a decision we wanted to make. Also I prayed that he would be given the chance to make it to his second birthday as I thought we were owed that much.
   
Than the day finally came when Sammy no longer slept with us and we knew it was time. When we went into the terrible room I knew that we had to be there for him as he had been for us those two very short years. I just held his beautiful Golden face and thanked him for being the beauty in my life. My husband stroked him and begged him to understand and I really believed he did right up till the end. That is when I realized that he did not pass in his sleep so that we were able to send him off looking into the faces that he loved most in the world.
   
It will be a year on May 15th yet the pain is still so real as I can barely compose myself to write this. Thinking back we would do all the medicines and needles all over again just to have him there for those extra two months. The only thing that enrages me is how there are people out there who have animals for years and mistreat them and share no love but our beloved Golden could barely have two years with the parents that will cherish him forever.
   
We now have another Golden named Murphy and he is a total opposite from our Sammy. He does not listen, he does not sleep with us but I know that we would do everything in the world for him also as he is our beloved Golden. We love you Sammy.
                                      

Love, Mom and Dad