1981: SAMMY, the SQUIRREL as TOUGH as a CAT | Squirrel on My Shoulder | BBC Archive

[@brettwalters-n4u]

The bite was for leaving me in that tree you sod!

[@artymiss77]

😂

[@ericastier1646]

It was tough love. John's instinct was right, it was that moment or never to give the squirrel his best chance at survival. Had he stayed indoors and become an adult he would have become impossible to keep and would have had ended his days in an enclosure in a zoo at the best. So John deserves all the praise.

[@hilaryepstein6013]

What a lucky squirrel Sammy was to be found by such a caring family. Ben the dog, John the human and of course Beauty the cat and her sweet kittens. Delightful.

[@ericastier1646]

It was really the best of circumstances. I believe the kittens and mama cat were crucial in raising a mentally healthy squirrel with models of his size to develop healthy habits for an animal of his size. The release timing was absolutely perfect, before he became an adult.

[@eedobee]

It was also super lucky there was a broadcast quality camera there too, especially how uncommon they were in the 80s.

[@gillianwilliams990]

I've never loved a squirrel so much 💗💗💗💗💗

[@fredo1070]

This is KZbin before KZbin.

[@Mkbshg8]

No its not what are you even on about

[@brettwalters-n4u]

It's the UK before multiculturalism

[@RobStardarker]

​@@brettwalters-n4uGrey Squirrels are immigrants....

[@DanielThakur]

@fredo1070 when he sees literally any video...

[@zzydny]

I remember watching this on PBS here in the US back in the 80's. I was charmed by the story and have longed to see it again. Thank you so very much for posting this video! 🌻

[@fburton8]

I love the gentle fascination of Ben the black lab.

[@Chris_34]

Sammy the squirrel is now in his 40's 🎂🐿️

[@ericastier1646]

His offspring might be jumping tree branches as you wrote that.

[@007IceBox]

I wish all people were like this, caring for animals ❤

[@juliarabbitts1595]

I was given the book that accompanied this programme the following Christmas and it still sits on my shelves

[@b213videoz]

1:45 look at those SHOCKED eyes of the mama cat :)

[@chrisberry9017]

I missed seeing this the first time around, so it has been a heartwarming privilege to watch this incredible story of acceptance. Just goes to show what bonds can be forged between species with love and trust. Not just the story of an orphan squirrel, but something much, much deeper.

[@jennifertanner5393]

What an emotional rollercoaster 😂

[@kathrynwhite3942]

The kitten squirrel fight 4 minutes in is brilliant.

[@yourbrit54]

Is no one going to call out the bowl 😆

[@keithfalkingham8861]

Wonderful piece of film.

[@bardo0007]

That is the most amazing squirrel I have seen in my life! This is better than today's nature shows.

[@Tim.Weaver]

This puts me in mind of the Bob Ross series "The Joy of Painting". Bob had a pet squirrel called Peapod who sometimes appeared on camera. Don't think I ever saw him getting bitten though...

[@Takkforkniven]

Did Bob Ross have a proclivity for biting squirrels?

[@ChorizoCentauri]

We salute you, Sammy! 🐿

[@NoosaHeads]

Lovely story...

[@itemushmush]

it is a lovely story! these old news segments are amazing to see. i wasnt even born when this aired! (born in 93)

[@slipknot5037]

Wonderful thank you

[@lucas_tvpeople]

This is heartwarming ❤

[@melissabrown9257]

This was lovely, thank you ❤

[@ericastier1646]

That is such a beautiful story.

[@MagicPlants]

I love how they put a fake cord to the lamp so he could chew without risk

[@ericastier1646]

or just disconnect it.

[@fevkin]

Love these old wildlife progs that wouldn't be complete without David Attenborough's dulcet tones

[@lesleyyarwood6199]

It's not David Attenborough, it's the guys voice that rescued him.

[@plebjames]

Lol

[@Her.Serene.Feline.Cuteness.]

It's not him but it sounds quite a lot like him..

[@leighrendler2256]

Most charming

[@SimonHaz]

Just lovely 🥰

[@whiteonggoy7009]

Wonderfull

[@pod9538]

THAT'S LIFE. 😂

[@KristenHansen-m1c]

You take the good with bad when you love a squirrel. Mine bit me once a month out of nowhere. I would give him a time out until he calmed down and we where friends again.

[@troysatterfield8817]

Love the MoMA cat being beautiful

[@DrSleep00]

He wrote a book Squirrel on my shoulder in 1979.Cant find any info on John Paling.

[@analogueman123456787]

On-line information on John is a bit scant (forget Wiki), but he was a director, producer, writer, all in relation to wildlife. He also has his own website, though it doesn't look like it's been updated in the last 15-years or so. Maybe he retired some years ago?

[@ROT8TED]

Permanent souvenir was a love bite lol

[@fburton8]

Be VERY careful about raising squirrels... they may come back to bite you.

[@grhinson]

Nice Barbour jacket

[@sdfmills9909]

I agree. Very similar to one I had. I ruined it. Send it back because I thought that they said that they would restore it, but they said it was beyond redemption.

[@ProfessorOfCookies]

The other squirrels didnt know what they were taking on when they took on sammy the cat wrestler

[@trutheretic]

great video

[@siliconknights]

8:48 🥺🥺🥺🥺

[@f33rcetv34]

that ending seemed really staged with the multiple camera angles and SUDDENLY a squirrel shows up

[@Takkforkniven]

The whole video is actually AI, made to look old and sentimental.

[@ChorizoCentauri]

How was the camera just so happened to be there on the ready?

[@redwoodrebelgirl3010]

I'm sure the part where they "found him" as a teeny baby was a re-enactmrnt.

[@ericastier1646]

@@redwoodrebelgirl3010 It could have been re-enacted a few days after the real discovery when John decided he would make a video story with it.

[@ericastier1646]

Probably he took a habit to come by the window after that. Of course this was not the first return when it was filmed but still the true story.

[@76ToneCrome]

It needs a Disney retelling. Heartwarming.

[@shneeblee180]

Disney will have the squirrel played by a mouse that identifies as a squirrel

[@analogueman123456787]

It most certainly doesn't! Why on earth would we want this charming film inevitably Americanised by the Disney corporation?

[@sdfmills9909]

Exactly 🤪

[@stephenspence-d9q]

@@analogueman123456787 We had our Squirrel population Americanised in the 19th Century.

[@analogueman123456787]

@@stephenspence-d9q - Sad but true.

[@plebjames]

Do you reckon the kittens had vague memories of being siblings with a squirrel?

[@Andy-O374]

Squirrels are fantastic.

[@rebekahsalt26]

Did they have to re-enact this then?

[@kimyiptong276]

What happened next?!

[@jimjam6958]

You wouldn't get permission these days to release a grey squirrel or any other invasive species into the UK.

[@sdfmills9909]

You know the saying,” Just do it anyway, and apologize later.”

[@jimjam6958]

@@sdfmills9909 perfectly within the law to humanely dispatch them

[@saschamayer4050]

​@@jimjam6958 And then apologise later.

[@Kai_Peters]

There are quite a number of invasives currently occupying England

[@ericastier1646]

Yet they release Gorillas and chimp in the UK these days and they arrive from Dover or land by plane.

[@KhrystynaBraverman]

OMG 🤍🤍🤍

[@ericsynchrona5495]

Alright already.

[@Whirlwinder00]

0:59 was it necessary to call the squirrel “pathetic” 😭

[@nigelreed]

Look up the meaning of the word.

[@МаксимАрхипов-п8в]

Intelligente mother 99

[@Who.Knew-The.Salt.MustFlow]

Why was there a camera set up and ready to film all the key moments.... Unless this Squirrel is a professional paid actor and this is a re-telling... I am somewhat confused😂

[@zzydny]

John Paling is an award-winning wildlife filmmaker.

[@Who.Knew-The.Salt.MustFlow]

@@zzydny Great,.... So the camera set was there when he just randomly found a 'downed squirrel' and the camera was just in the garden at the moment when that same squirrel that gone awol for over a year and just happened to appear on his window ledge. Sorry, calling BS on that story... But admittedly it's a likable work of fiction.

[@zzydny]

@@Who.Knew-The.Salt.MustFlow How sad for you to be unable to believe a beautiful story.

[@Mkbshg8]

@@zzydny Of course it was scripted. You think they'd just record it chewing wires? I just wonder if tehy knocked the nest down to get it or it was genuinely found like that wit no human interference.

[@baz8755]

An early example of CGI 😂

[@itemushmush]

Anyone know if this cute squirrel is still around?

[@jonprobert]

Errr. Sit down a moment.

[@NoosaHeads]

I think they have a short lifespan of about 4-5 years. This was made in 1980 and released about 1981. One way or another, Sam won't be around, but maybe his progeny will. I actually remember watching this on TV when it was first produced. It was delightful to see it again.

[@shneeblee180]

​@@jonprobert😂😂😂

[@heythisisminenotyours]

Yes he's Head Squirrel in Oxfordshire and is happily married to a Dog and has two Guinea Pig adopted children

[@itemushmush]

@@heythisisminenotyours thats adorable! nice to hear, do you live nearby?

[@uzbekvideolartv_rasmiy]

Cute designer 81

[@analogueman123456787]

Lovely story. However, I was under the impression you're not allowed to reintroduce grey squirrels back into the wild in the UK, owing to them not being an indigenous species. Maybe the law was a little different back at the start of the Eighties perhaps?

[@rztrzt]

9:10 mentions getting permission. The Wildlife and Countryside Act is from 1981, not sure if it was in force when the doccie was filmed. "Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is also currently an offence to release grey squirrels without a license. ", so it seems you could obtain a license, from 2019 you could no longer obtain a license.

[@analogueman123456787]

@@rztrzt - As I understand it, the programme was made in late 1980 going into 1981. So it possibly just pre-dates the introduction of the 1981 law.

[@Кто-то-ь8э]

Hard snow 51

[@reubenwoodley96]

We don't have squirrels where I'm from (NZ). Question for anyone reading this comment: What do they smell like?

[@williamm.1608]

A bit like a pekapeka, but more acorn-y.

[@heythisisminenotyours]

@@reubenwoodley96 pot puri

[@redwoodrebelgirl3010]

A squirrel, I guess. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@reubenwoodley96]

@@redwoodrebelgirl3010 Ha! Yes!

[@ericastier1646]

I used to have a bird feeder that i cleaned regularly as it was assaulted by grey squirrels. But the strong acrid smell was from the birds guano. It actually smells like fertilizers and minerals, chemicaly but not in a bad way. As for the squirrel my guess is no smell.