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HILLSBOROUGH: Rescued puppies find and give love in local home

By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
  This is the story of Sampson and Simon, two adorable Shih-poo puppies given up for adoption . . . who were given a shot at their 15 minutes of TV fame . . . but seem more than satisfied with their fate: a loving Hillsborough home with owners who pamper and adore them.
   It’s a drama with a happy ending.
   These uncertain lives were plucked out of a Montgomery impoundment by a local rescue group, Animal Alliance. At about 5 weeks old, the poodle mother and four puppies were transferred temporarily to a foster home in Martinsville.
   Fate found them the Colva family, which searched online and found Animal Alliance, based in Hopewell Township. The10-year-old agency’s mission is rescue animals in immediate danger of euthanasia and place them in loving adopted homes.
   The Colvas were in the market for a replacement puppy and knew friends who had adopted rescue dogs. They decided that was the way they wanted to go.
   When they went to the foster home shelter, Sampson, the biggest of the litter, playfully jumped all over Sierra Colva, 10. But Simon spent his attention on brother, Vaughn, 9, much of the time trying to unhook his Velcro shoe-straps.
   The puppies are now 7 months old and weigh about 12 pounds. Sampson is a brown, black and white mix with Simon his jet black brother.
   Almost four months after adoption, Sampson lies peacefully on a sofa in a Hillsborough condo, being brushed and fondled by Sierra. Simon is nearby, but if Vaughn springs to play with the pup, Sampson is sure to dive in, too.
   The Colvas left the foster home knowing Sampson would be theirs. A slightly disappointed Vaughn understood that — they had come for a dog for Sierra, he knew. He really liked Simon, though, he said, and a week later, the foster mom called and said the Colvas could have both pups, if they wanted.
   There was one exciting “addition” to the adoption to which the Colvas readily agreed.
   The puppies had been promised to the producer of the “Puppy Bowl” special aired on the Animal Planet show Super Bowl Sunday. The show features rescue dogs, and the producers called Animal Alliance for candidates. Simon and Sampson immediately came to mind, said Anne Trinkle, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit group,
   No problem for the Colvas, who were eager to take the pups to the taping of the show, which featured about 50 rescued dogs up for adoption.
   The filming in Manhattan in mid-October was a bit of canine chaos. In it, eight or 10 puppies of all breeds simultaneously run and play with a football and a referee on a tiny turf field, complete with goalposts. All the dogs got to play, but not all got airtime; unfortunately, Simon and Sampson were left out of the final cut.
   Because they were contestants in the Puppy Bowl tryouts, Simon and Sampson still were eligible for possible stardom in a Subaru commercial to be aired on the Discovery Channel before the Puppy Bowl. In that taping in Maplewood, the pups spent another long day mimicking football drills — zigzagging through cones and hopping through tires, which subtly hid bits of food to direct the dogs.
   Simon and Sampson didn’t get much airtime because they kept running out of the shot and toward the producers and cameramen, said mother, Angela Colva.
   ”It was a choice of treats or love,” she said. “They went for love every time.”
   Life has settled in a pleasing routine for the pups and the owners.
   At home, Sierra has clearly captivated Sampson.
   ”She’s very patient with him, and he sits on her lap as she brushes him, and if he growls, she tells him to knock it off. He very much trusts her,” Ms. Colva said.
   Simon is the more laid-back pup. He hangs near Vaughn and is more cautious to strangers.
   Both brothers are eager for a tussle with a toy dangled by Vaughn or a run around the hallway.
   One of the reasons the Colvas decided on the two dogs was to provide them company when everyone was at work or school. It was a wise decision — the brothers are close. If one goes for a drink, the other follows. If one is in the patio backyard, the other wants to know what’s going on.
   ”They growl at the cat, and Simon really wants to chase it,” Ms. Colva said.
   The family is working diligently on housebreaking the dogs . . . and limiting the number of peanut butter biscuit treats.
   Whatever love the dogs take, they make as much.
   The dogs have taught the youngsters responsibility and caring, Ms. Colva said. The children don’t mind (too much) arising at 6:30 a.m. to feed and let the dogs out before the children have to go to school.
   ”We’re very happy in our lives,” she said. “We were very lucky to go to the Puppy Bowl and adopt these puppies. We know there are lots of dogs out there that need homes.”