My late husband and I moved to Harwich in 1972. I’ve lived in Harwich Port for a little over 10

years. I call myself a “hard core” dog lover and have had dogs for most of my adult life and currently have a 14-year-old terrier mix named Holly. She and I are frequent walkers through Harwich Port.

I’ve been involved with The Sampson Fund for Veterinary Care, an all-volunteer non-profit

organization, for about 20 years, the last 10 as president. The mission of the fund is to provide

financial assistance for veterinary care for critically ill or injured pets on Cape Cod and the

Islands when owners cannot afford treatment. We all know that a pet is a vital part of the family

and when a pet needs critical care it’s a crisis- whether that family is a young couple with

children struggling to make it on Cape Cod or an elderly person on a fixed income whose

pet is their only companion.

Those of us involved with The Sampson Fund strongly believe that no pet should be euthanized or denied care purely for lack of funds. We work with 14 veterinary hospitals stretching from Buzzards Bay to Provincetown. The hospitals communicate with their clients who need financial assistance and help them fill out the applications. The pet owners must show financial need, and the treatment must be of a critical nature. The owner pays a portion of the cost, and The Sampson Fund tries to pick up the balance. 

The Sampson Fund was named after a cat named Sampson whose owner was a client at Pleasant Bay Animal Hospital in East Harwich. When Sampson died his owner gave Dr. Christopher Donner, the veterinarian at Pleasant Bay Animal Hospital, $25 and said he was to use that to help someone that couldn’t pay for veterinary care. Dr. Donner, in 1986, started The Sampson Fund, which is now able to help almost 100 pets and their owners each year.

The funding for The Sampson Fund comes from direct donations, grants and fundraising events.

Upcoming events: The Sampson Fund Day at Moby Dick’s restaurant in Wellfleet on July 25

and Barks & Brews at Cape Cod Beer in Hyannis on October 11.

Donations to The Sampson Fund can be made by going to www.sampsonfund.org or by mail at P.O. Box 1756, Orleans, MA 02653