This is one of the worst abuse cases I have seen in a while.  Just when you think you are getting a handle on some of the abuse in this country to animals, something like this happens.  It just tears your heart up in tiny little pieces that someone could intentionally do this to one of God’s gentlest creatures.

Meet SAMMY.  Sammy showed up as a stray in Rains, SC.  The family there started to feed him and he came around more regularly.  He was a great dog that began to trust them and was around all the time.  Two months ago he disappeared and when he returned this is how he looked.  He has been tortured and both eyes have been punctured.  He was taken to a doctor that thinks he was beaten so badly that his eyes burst and to Marion County shelter to see if someone could help them.    The shelter recalled that someone had called and reported a dog wandering around for the last two day with it’s eyes bulging.  That dog was Sammy.  How he found his way back to this same house without eyes, we will never know.

He is going to our vet in Greenville, SC today and is scheduled to have surgery to have both eyes removed on Friday.

UPDATE January  22, 2009

SWEET SAMMY had almost three hours of surgery today.  His eyes have been removed and sewn completely shut.  I now know why he has such beautiful big ears.  They will now be his eyes for him.  He is an incredibly sweet dog that was terribly tortured.  After doing all his blood work today we discovered he is also HW+.  As soon as he recovers completely from this surgery we will begin HW treatment.  Sammy was also neutered  during his surgery.  He was covered with fleas and ticks and we have taken care of that.

We are going to make sure that every day from here on out for him is going to be full of love and kindness.  He will never be in a situation again where someone is not being his loving Guardian.  He has been tortured enough and now has a chance to heal and learn a new life with those wonderful ears.

UPDATE January 23, 2009

SAMMY is doing incredible.  He is without a doubt one of the sweetest dogs we have been around.  We just cannot imagine how an animal could have been so mistreated and still be so sweet.  When they take him outside for a little walk, he leans against you while he is walking.  It is so sweet and so endearing that the person walking him stops walking and just loves all over him.  He is one special fellow.  Here are the new pictures of him today.

Update January 26, 2009

Sammy had a great week-end.  He is slowly but surely getting used to walking blind.  His eyes are doing great and he is not rubbing on them at all.  He will be going to his foster home this Thursday to continue his recovery and treatments.  I should have more pictures this evening.

Update for January 29, 2009

Sammy is going to a wonderful foster home today for the next several months so he can begin his rehabilation.  Once we feel he has recovered and gotten his strength back from his surgery then we will begin his HW treatment.  New pictures of Sammy will be posted tomorrow from his new foster home.  He is doing wonderful with his walking and learning how to trace his steps as he walks.  He is learning to follow any sound that he associates with something good....such as a soothing voice or a bell that we have attached to a companion buddy for him to play with.  We have a long way to go with him but he is a joy to be around and love on.  How anyone could allow this to happen to this sweet dog is still something we will never understand.

Sammy,  January 30, 2009

Sammy has arrived at his new foster home and is loving life.  He found one of his new dog companions bones and decided this is a pretty good spot to be in.  A warm bed and a well chewed on dog bone.  Life couldn’t be any better for this boy.  At least that is how he is acting.

February 4, 2009

He loves to run around.  Still hasn’t barked yet but we are hopeful he will.  He loves to go on walks and has mastered the steps, up and down.

March 4, 2009

Sammy walking and hiking on Spring Island, SC

March 18, 2009

Sammy playing with his new toys from a fan.

March 23, 2009

We just got Sammy’s HW test back and he has gone from high HW+ to low HW+.  He will complete it in four months.

April 1, 2009

Sammy enjoying his chew toy this morning.  As you can see his eyes have healed beautifully as has his great big heart.  I swear, I think his ears are getting bigger.  He is a lovebug.

Picture of Sammy with all his brothers and sisters and ME in the middle.