By Alice GibbsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberUnder bright parking-lot lights, a dog sat and watched every car that pulled in—waiting for the person who had left him behind.
Samson was abandoned outside an Alabama Dollar General, and when this previous owner did not return, he was instead picked up by a Southern rescue volunteer named Summer, who had stopped at the store for milk and noticed the young dog lingering nearby.
When she asked employees about him, they told her he had been there since early that morning—and that his owner had dropped him off and driven away.
Shultzs Guest House rescue shelter in Dedham, Massachusetts told Newsweek: “Though he was gentle and took food from her hand, he darted away the moment she tried to slip a leash over him. It was clear he was scared and unsure, still holding out for the person he had known and trusted.”
...Heartbreaking pictures reveal the moment Samson "waited and waited" for his owner to come back. Early the next morning, on her way to work, Summer checked the Dollar General again. But there was no sign of Samson.
She drove 100 yards down the road and spotted him at the town’s only gas station, and with the help of the kind employees—and a strategic trail of hot dogs—they guided him behind the building and safely secured him.
A Fresh Start
Samson stayed with Summer for about two and a half weeks, the shelter said, with time to decompress and rebuild trust. Slowly, Samson’s “goofy, lovable nature” began to reappear as he settled in.
Next came the logistics. Paperwork, veterinary checks and the careful coordination needed to move an animal across state lines. Samson traveled to Tennessee with another foster, Ashley, to obtain a health certificate and prepare for the trip north to Massachusetts.
Much of Samson’s earlier life remains a mystery. But the shelter says a veterinary exam offered clues. A small gap on his snout—“endearing,” staff said—was likely the result of an old injury. He also had several healing puncture wounds on his right front leg, with no clear explanation.
The vet estimated Samson to be between 1 and 2 years old and noted physical traits that may hint at his breed mix: back double dew claws and a “big plume tail,” suggesting he likely has Great Pyrenees in him.
...When Samson arrived at Shultz’s Guest House in Dedham, he was not there for long and was adopted in just five days.
The family who came for him—Michala and Joe—drove nearly two hours from Western Massachusetts after seeing Samson’s story on social media.
They brought along an important decision-maker: Lucy, their dog, who would become Samson’s “fur sister.” The shelter says the match was immediate. Samson went home with them.
In the weeks since, Michala and Joe say Samson has slipped into his new routine with striking ease—long morning walks and bursts of playtime.
“Samson has settled in beautifully,” Samson’s new family told the shelter. “Samson celebrated Thanksgiving surrounded by his big new family and charmed relatives of all ages, both human and furry. He proved to be gentle, patient and wonderfully social with nieces, nephews and cousins alike.
“Simply put: we love Samson—and we’re thrilled he’s home.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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