Samaritan For Pets Joins Greater Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce

Photo by Derek Redd

For Ken Suter, his dog Sam was much more than a pet. He was a companion, a family member, a furry, four-legged human being, he said.

And when Sam died at 11 years old in 2017, that loss sent Suter spiraling into depression. He recovered and decided he would create an organization that would not only help Ohio Valley residents find a special pet like he did, but also comfort them when those pets pass.

Samaritan For Pets, a Rayland, Ohio-based nonprofit, became the latest member of the Greater Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce with a small ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Chamber offices. Samaritan For Pets does not have a brick-and-mortar facility, but will help pet owners and prospective pet owners throughout the region.

It was when Suter talked to his pet grief counselor after Sam's death that the seeds of Samaritan For Pets started taking root.

"She told me I needed to honor him because he was so fantastic and magnificent," Suter said. "And I said, if I do, it's going to be something big."

The organization wants to go well beyond helping pay for adoptions, Suter said. He's talking to veterinarians and shelters around the region to partner with him to provide spay/neuter services, vaccinations and microchips at free or reduced costs. He wants to offer surprise payments of vet bills.

Suter also wants to provide "Friends of Sam" royalty and hero rides. He has purchased a limousine that can fit five people and one pet. With that, he will provide rides for children, seniors, military veterans and cancer patients with their pets.

"I always treated Sam like royalty," Suter said. "I want to create that same memorable experience. So when we do things for people, they won't forget that experience."

Suter also wants to offer virtual pet grief counseling for those who have lost pets. He remembers how important it was for him to come to terms with Sam's death. He knows there are others out there who would be as devastated as he was with the loss of a pet and wants to give them the opportunity to work through that pain.

His counselor, Brenda Brown of Grief About Pets in Canton, Ohio, has offered to conduct some group sessions. He hopes to add more pet grief counselors to the list.

"She helped pull me out of that dark place that I was in for a long, long time," Suter said. "I really feel for people who have lost pets. I've lived that. If I can help people feel better with that loss, then I'd feel better."

People can learn more about the organization through its website at samaritanforpets.com.