SAMANTHA AND KIRBY

Many of you are probably wondering about the kitten and the puppy on the stamps. Who are they, what are their stories...

Well the American Partnership for Pets will be sharing their stories with you over the year (or more!) that the stamps remain on sale... We hope you'll visit this website often to hear about their antics as they grow up!

SAMANTHA

When Sally Andersen-Bruce took her photograph, Samantha the kitten was homeless and living in an animal shelter in Connecticut. She is a very lucky kitten though, and was soon adopted by a loving family.

She was picked out by an eleven year old little girl, Hannah, who really wanted a girl kitty as a pet. Hannah's mother Amy had decided that they should go to a shelter to adopt a new pet, because she had read about all the homeless animals that needed new families.

Samantha now has a Siamese cat and two miniature dachshunds as companions, but she rules the roost and has the entire household under her paw. Samantha loves her new family, but Hannah is extra special, and Samantha just adores her! Samantha by the way, is very playful and teases the dogs mercilessly.

Hannah is very excited about Samantha being on the stamps. Hannah was interested in stamp collecting because her uncle collects stamps! Little did she imagine that one day she'd adopt a kitty that would be on a stamp! Her family is very pleased that their Samantha will help to teach people that spay/neuter is so important!

Samantha was spayed when she was adopted, and is now living happier and healther with her new family.

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KIRBY

Kirby also lived in a Connecticut animal shelter when Sally Andersen-Bruce took his photograph. He was adopted by a loving family too.

The boy who picked him out wanted somebody to play with and especially wanted a Border Collie, because he was fascinated with how they can be taught to respond to hand signals. The boy's mother called around and was referred to the animal shelter where they found the puppy and his littermates. The puppy is ˝ Australian Shepherd, Ľ Collie, and Ľ Border Collie.

Clever Kirby loves to play with his owner and is starting to learn how to play Frisbee. His family says he's a very smart dog and has learned many basic commands and hand signals. He loves to travel in the car and he goes hiking and camping with his family.

The family had another dog, a Golden Retriever named Shelby, who had cancer. Shortly after Kirby was adopted, Shelby had to have the first of three cancer surgeries. The family is positive that the puppy helped her cheer up and make a quick recovery from surgery. Shelby in turn did a lot to educate the puppy, teaching him important things such as how to not leave the yard. Kirby did a lot to keep Shelby happy while she was sick. Sadly, Shelby died in her sleep just after Christmas 2001, age 11 ˝ years.

When Kirby was adopted, the family already had a young male cat, one they had bottle raised from a very young age that they found abandoned in their barn. The male cat and Kirby love to play together and get along really well. Kirby's family thinks that the cat may think he's a dog, too. Since adopting Kirby, the family has now adopted three young cats from the same shelter where Kirby was adopted. All three cats are under two years old.

All of the family's cats and dogs have been spayed or neutered and all receive their annual vaccinations.

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