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Gunner

Why anyone would want to discard purebred Chesapeake Bay Retriever puppies is a mystery. But that’s what happened to Gunner and his litter
mates. The 8-week-old puppies were dumped in Nebraska farm country––left to brave the elements, ward off predators and fend for
themselves.

A female puppy, believed to be Gunner’s sister, was soon caught and quickly adopted. It is believed Gunner and his brother survived on their
own for two months...Gunner and his brother were taken to Hearts United for Animals, a no-kill sanctuary in Auburn, Nebraska. Gunner’s
brother was adopted during his stay at HUA. Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief and Rescue, a national organization, took in Gunner and placed
him in a loving home.

Today Gunner is a happy boy. He’s a funny, and
intelligent dog that plays constantly and swims whenever he gets the chance. Gunner loves companionship and follows his owner from room to
room. He is as close to perfect as a dog can get––love on four feet! Each year many unwanted animals are abandoned in rural areas. Some are
not as lucky as Gunner. Some are purebreds.

Coco

For three years Coco lived in a tiny, wire prison. Her kennel was so small, she was unable to stand. She received no medical care or kindness,
only enough food and water to keep her alive. It is believed Coco had her first litter of puppies when she was 6 months old. She was forced to
breed repeatedly and produced litter after litter of puppies. It is likely her ears were cropped with scissors and she was de-barked in a cruel and
inhumane manner common in puppymills.

One day the breeding facilities where Coco lived were abandoned. The dogs were left in their cages to die. Nobody knows how much time
passed before authorities learned of the situation. Coco curled up in the back of her cage and shook with fear as the rescue operations took
place around her. She could not be coaxed out and was finally carried to a rescuer’s car. Coco was placed in a foster home where she was
showered with love and affection. For the first time in her life, Coco slept on warm blankets, enjoyed dog treats, and felt grass under her paws.

But despite all the good things in Coco’s new life, there was a problem... She could not stand. She had to be carried outside and propped up in
the yard. There was concern Coco would never walk–until the day a special spot was discovered on her tummy. When this spot was
scratched, Coco kicked her feet with delight. There was a glimmer of hope that her legs might function again. It took 5 1/2 long weeks for
Coco to take her first steps. She staggered at first but curiosity soon had her investigating the whole yard. Before long, she enticed another
Doberman to play. A true friendship began and Coco and Rudolph Valentino who are now best buddies. When they aren’t romping or napping,
they take their job of protecting the neighborhood from all things noisy very seriously.

Coco may always stand crookedly and walk stiffly. As her emotional healing continues, she is learning to trust strangers and has taken
obedience classes. Coco attends public events and spends some weekends at pet-adoption fairs as a Doberman rescue representative. She was
the guest of honor at an animal-welfare coalition meeting and was featured on the news in a story about puppymills and the importance of
spaying and neutering. Coco is happy to report that her foster home is now her forever home.

__________________________

Mena

Mena had a nice home and a family who loved her. She was a good dog and always tried to behave. But one day the landlord said she had to go.
Mena’s owners didn’t know what to do. They wanted to keep her but were not able to move. Mena didn’t deserve this.

Luckily, Mena was taken to Hearts United for Animals, a no-kill animal sanctuary in Auburn, Nebraska. She was sad and longed for her family
but the folks at HUA adored her and she loved them. They gave her good food, medical care, a soft place to sleep and plenty of love and
affection during her stay. But it wasn’t the same as having a family of her own. One day a nice, young couple was looking at the dogs on HUA’
s Web site and saw Mena. They took one look at her spectacular ears and mournful eyes and knew they must meet this fabulous dog. It was
love at first sight...! They took Mena home with them and she quickly became an important part of the family.

Mena now spends her days playing with her two Basset Hound “sisters,” Baylee and Tate. They play for hours until they pass out from
exhaustion.
Mena enjoys long walks and is a neighborhood favorite. When she’s not busy charming the folks on her street, she cuddles, fetches and gives
slobbery kisses to her stuffed buffalo, Buffy. When Mena’s parents get home from work, she showers them with pure, unadulterated affection.
She is the sweetest, most loving dog ever. They can’t imagine life without her. They are grateful to the wonderful people at HUA for taking such
good care of Mena (as well as all the other dogs).

Not all dogs are as lucky as Mena. Many are abandoned in kill pounds each year because their owners are moving or the landlord won’t allow
them to stay. In many cases, the shelters are full and these dogs have only a small chance of getting adopted. Please help control shelter
overcrowding–spay and neuter your pets.

__________________________

June Bug

I spotted her three times that week in a pasture near the highway. When I tried to get near her, she ran away. Nobody had reported a missing
dog which fit her description but I knew something wasn’t right. The area was remote and it was at least a mile to the nearest house. Local
authorities offered no assistance other than to let me borrow a live trap. I baited it with hot dogs and the stinkiest cat food I could find and set it
in a concrete culvert under the highway. By morning, I had her.

She barked and growled ferociously as I drug the trap out of the ditch and over the barbed-wire fence to my car where she spent the rest of
day... terrified. When I returned the trap to the shelter that evening, they took her picture in case someone came forward to claim her. I did not
leave her there because nobody wants a wild dog, no matter how cute it is. I knew God had given her to me for a reason and it was not for her
to die at the shelter.

For five days, the little dog cowered in the back of a crate in my spare bedroom. She was silent and fearful, displaying no emotions except for
complete and utter sadness which seemed to pour from her soul. Her spirit was broken. I wondered if she would ever be normal or happy. But
on the sixth day, she wagged her tail... once. Her expression looked like that of a normal dog. She investigated the house, hiding behind the
curtains and furniture as she went. After sniffing everything in sight, she put both paws on my leg. I petted her, then picked her up. Amazingly,
she licked my whole face. I now know the joy a mother feels when her baby takes its first step or says its first word. I did nothing to bring
about this monumental change in behavior. I can only attribute it to a miracle from God.

Now, let me take you back in time 7 months before I spotted Junie in the pasture. 159 dogs were rescued from a property in a neighboring state,
thirteen of these dogs were relocated to my county and fostered by the local Humane Society. On the night they arrived here, a young female
escaped from a volunteer’s yard. The little dog lived on her own in the wild for 7 months. She survived a harsh winter where temperatures
dipped to 20 degrees below zero and didn’t rise above zero for days. Attempts to locate and capture the dog failed... Until the day I caught her in
my trap. Although it didn’t feel quite right, I lined up a foster home for the dog until I could find the perfect people to adopt her. But on the day I
was to deliver her to the foster mom, something came up and I wound up bringing her back home with me. Every step of the way, it seemed as
if God was saying, “I gave her to you.” She will be mine forever.

“Bug” is the most appreciative soul I've ever known. Her eyes are filled with gratefulness. She follows me everywhere, usually with an oversized
ball or a sock stuffed in her mouth. I know from her constant smile and wildly wagging tail that she is incredibly happy. She has wonderful
manners and plays funny, little games. She likes my other dogs... And my cats. She lies next to me on my pillow and licks my face then rolls
over and snoozes with her head on my shoulder. She is scared of strangers and hides under the bed until they leave. She runs for miles behind
the four-wheeler and loves to herd cows. Her charm, antics and wild and crazy hairdo often lead me to call her my “cartoon dog.”

[ more happy endings... ]