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On Friday, April 15, 1994, Dad & I decided to
stop by the Peninsula Humane Society to look at some
dogs. There we found a black Cocker Spaniel / Collie /
Labrador mix sitting quietly, mild mannered, looking at
us (while all the other dogs were barking wildly for
attention). She was well behaved in her kennel sporting
a red scarf around her neck. Her name was Coco. She was
adorable... we just had to have her. According to
records with the Peninsula Humane Society, she was born
sometime in February of 1993. We filed for adoption and
after getting her spaded, we took her home on April 26,
1994 to introduce her to the rest of the Fanto family.
At this time, we decided to name her Sam (short for
Samantha).
My brother, Raoul & I initially spent the time with Sam,
taking her to dog obedience training once a week. At
first she slept outside in a kennel. Eventually, we felt
sorry for her since it gets pretty cold in South San
Francisco foggy weather. So. we ended up putting her
kennel in my bedroom. After becoming a little more
house-broken, she actually began sleeping with me on my
bed.
Mom & Dad began bringing Sam to our family Dry Cleaning
business where she immediately became an icon. All the
customers loved her. And she came out to greet the
customers... immediately laying on her back asking to be
rubbed on her belly. Customers would bring their kids in
just to see her. After the business was sold, Mom & Dad
retired and move to Las Vegas, Nevada and brought Sam
along to live with them.
On the morning of Sunday, August 14, 2005, as I was driving back home
from a long trip, Mom & Dad called to inform me of the sad news. Sam was found
lying motionless and unresponsive (there is a bit of comfort knowing that she
likely passed away peacefully in her sleep). She was to be picked up later that
morning to be cremated. They would pick her ashes up later that week. I was able
to hold my composure over the phone, but after hanging up, I was glad to be
wearing my dark sunglasses as tears started to flow. She will be dearly missed.
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