Gunnar Sr - Our 12th Dog of Christmas

2025 HOLIDAY MATCHING FUND

"12 Dogs of Christmas - Gunnar Sr."

Ten years ago, we found him a forever home. This Christmas… he came back.

We never expected to see him again.

Ten years ago, we found him a forever home. This Christmas… he came back.

We never expected to see him again.

This isn’t a story about adoption. It’s a story about what happens after.

Sometimes, forever doesn’t last ten years.

Please meet our 12th Dog of Christmas, Gunnar Sr.

If you had told us 10 years ago that he would be one of our 12 Dogs of Christmas today, we wouldn't have believed you.

It was 10 years ago that he found his forever family. We were so happy for him. He was not even a year old and had his whole life to grow with his family. But life doesn't always work out the way you think it will, the way you want it to.

When the family grew years later, Gunnar had no idea what was going on. He didn't know why this little being cried, and the cries scared him. He became so anxious. The more anxious Gunnar became, the more isolated he was from the family. When the child became a toddler, Gunnar was put in the garage so that he wouldn't hear the noises that were making him so anxious. We got the call.

When our volunteers visited him in the home, they were so saddened by how nervous he was, how anxious he was. It was no longer his home, not to him.

We saw the face, the eyes, which were peppered with gray. His body wasn't the strong boy he had once been, but inside, he was the same puppy that we had sent home so long ago.

Sometimes in rescue, there is nothing any of us can do except pick up the broken pieces and try to mend the broken heart. For Gunnar Sr, that was our goal. He would not have survived in a kennel environment. We found the best foster home we knew of for seniors, and that is where he went. Months have gone by now. Gunnar is still nervous, but he has relaxed so much. His foster parents take him for walks to let him stop and smell the roses, but he isn't interested in stopping to smell anything. He just wants to get back into the home where he now feels comfortable. He is even comfortable with the human grandchild that comes around. Gunnar is home once again. This Christmas, Gunnar got onto his doggy bed in front of the Christmas tree, rolled onto his back, and dreamt of a Santa who would bring him his favorite treats.

You have met our 12 Dogs of Christmas, dogs that the Holiday Matching Fund helps. But there are so many more than the 12 Dogs. The Holiday Matching Fund helps dogs like Sammy, who has been waiting for two years to be adopted. He has wonderful fosters who love him more than anything. It is about Asha's Dreamer, who has seen all of her siblings go home and dreams of a forever family of her own, about Asha herself, who continues to watch over Dreamer to this day, and dreams of a home.

The Holiday Matching Fund helps dogs like Nikki, a beautiful senior; Jenner, one of the sweetest and most regal dogs you will ever meet, dogs like Lucy who came to us recently after her family had a baby and could no longer care for her, dogs like Enzo and Raggie who may never find a traditional home, but have a family in Coastal K9 German Shepherd Rescue that loves them so much.

The Holiday Matching Fund helps dogs who are already in the shelter, just waiting for us and other rescues to find the room to take them, hoping beyond hope that room can be found before their time runs out.

We have 2 days left to reach our goal, which still needs to be hit and matched. We understand the times, but even just $10 makes a difference in getting closer to reaching that $65,000 waiting to be matched. Please SHARE our donation page with one person you know who will help.

From Gunnar, Sr. and all of the 12 dogs whom we feel blessed to have been able to highlight to you, from all of the dogs in our care right now, thank you.

Thank you again for allowing us to introduce all these amazing dogs for our 2025, 12 Dogs of Christmas

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