Five Adopted Dogs Living, Loving Examples of True Spirit of Christmas

Samantha Lundquist credits her mother Janet, a Redwood City resident, for instilling her sense for helping those in need, and for encouraging her daughter to pursue her passion for working with animals. So when asked to tell the story of how her family became companions for five homeless dogs, she gives mom a special shout-out.

“Without her this unique family wouldn’t be possible,” Samantha told Patch.

It all started with Zoie—a dachshund/terrier mix who was surrendered to PHS. Then along came Lani a stray with an upper respiratory condition. Henry, a foster dog thought to have behavioral issues was next. Six-month old Tootsie had a skin infection that left her near bald, yet loveable, and Pricilla, a pit bull terrier craved a kind hand and a gentle word.

In all, they were a rag-tag, yet intrepid group of dogs that found a home with Peninsula Humane Society employee Samantha Lundquist and her mother, Janet.

Now, in the true spirit of Christmas and in a pure demonstration of the Peninsula Humane Society-SPCA’s mission to find loving homes for all adoptable animals, Samantha shares her story as to how this motley crew of mutts came to call each other family.

Samantha began her career at PHS-SPCA as a volunteer in 2007, which is when she first brought Zoie home.

The following is an excerpt from Samantha’s story as told to Patch. It has been edited for length.

Zoie, (the doxie/terrier mix), has always been laid back, loves to play fetch, and meets every dog with a wagging tail. She plays a central role in welcoming new dogs into our home because of her mellow, polite disposition. She and Tootsie are my mom’s “two girls.”

Lani was the second dog to become a permanent member of the family. She was left in the PHS parking lot as a 5-month-old puppy so technically entered our shelter as a stray. She had an upper respiratory infection mid-winter and I asked to foster her in hopes of speeding up her recovery and preventing her cold from getting worse. It took her almost six months to fully recover and during that time she learned to love and trust people. She’s the sensitive one in the group and we all know how dependent she is on people and her K9 family.

Henry was the next dog to become a permanent member. When a litter of five puppies was confiscated for neglect and brought to PHS, I knew it was meant to be. I picked Henry out for his goofy, lovable personality and his litter-mates were adopted out within a few weeks. He’s now 1.5 years and the only boy in our house. He is by far the most playful, and loves to make a game out of everything. He and Priscilla are attached at the hip and come to work with me every day. When we settle down in the evenings in the living room, Henry likes to lay all of his 70lbs across my mom’s lap when she sits in her chair. He truly is a gentle giant.

Tootsie was found in Redwood City and brought to our shelter as a stray. She was around six months old and had a horrible skin infection leaving her hairless with irritated, dry skin. She was in such bad shape that it was likely she would not recover in a shelter environment. My mom hadn’t dealt with such a case and was brought to tears when she first saw her. From that day on, Tootsie had nothing to worry about. She was affectionate and appreciative of everything.. My mom decided to adopt her this past summer and she’s a whopping 4 pounds. She keeps all three Pit Bulls in line and has taught them how to play gently.

In April of this year I joined the Behavior and Training department at PHS. Priscilla was one of the first dogs I worked with who moved up for adoption shorty after I was hired. She was picked up as a stray and had a large, open mass on her hind leg. Our veterinarians and the vet-techs had to check on Priscilla daily and made many comments on how friendly she was and how eager she was for attention. While up for adoption, Priscilla was only looked at by potential adopters a handful of times.

After five months up for adoption, with visitors showing little interest in her, I started to notice that she would become more and more depressed after her hour long walks with volunteers. She craved attention and affection like many of our dogs that wait for their perfect home. We were all swept off our feet when I brought her home as a foster in September. She immediately bonded to Henry and was unbelievably friendly to each of the dogs.

I officially adopted Pricilla on December 3rd and I’m grateful every day that she’s part of our pack. We think she’s the perfect dog.

Our story really isn’t about us…it’s about the dogs. They are incredible together and we look forward to having such a wonderful group for many years to come. PHS plays a significant role in giving these dogs an opportunity to become family members. Most dogs under circumstances like Tootsie and Priscilla would not have such an opportunity.