Sam

Date of Death: April 20, 2026

 our adopted MAGSR dog, Sam (rescue name Halsey) crossed the Rainbow Bridge on April 20, 2026.  

We adopted him February 2014, and he was 13.5 years old when we lost him. He was my NCR Trail running buddy for years, and as he slowed down, then he became my walking buddy. He hung out with the guys in my husband's garage, and he greeted everyone with a toy when they came in the house.  He loved his toys and would get so excited when we brought a new toy home - somehow, he always knew when there was a toy in the shopping bag! He loved his cats, and he raised 4 kittens during his lifetime with us. Sunny was his best bud - she was a 4-week-old orphan kitten we took in, and Sam raised her.  To this day, Sunny carries around her toys in her mouth and plays ball and waits for us at the door when we come home, just like Sam did.  He was "Uncle Sam" to the stray kittens born under our porch and would race down the hallway when it was time to go into the kitten nursery, waiting patiently at the door to go in and see his little nephews. Mom cat loved Sam as well and completely trusted him with her babies. As goofy and playful as he was, and as good as he was with the cats, he was a true GSD and protected us fiercely when needed. Certainly, no Amazon, UPS or US mail person could approach our house without Sam reading them the riot act, and he even once fought off a loose pitbull that came after us, getting in between me and the dog and keeping me safe.

Here are some pictures of him.  Goofy Sam photo they took at doggy daycare that totally epitomizes his personality, Sam and his best bud Sunny, and Sam the regal old man at the end.