“He’d had a week of being cold and scared and alone.”
At just seven weeks old, a tiny puppy named Gunnar found himself alone in the middle of nowhere. His mother and siblings had been rescued by animal control, but in a heartbreaking mistake, Gunnar was left behind.
For an entire week, the helpless pup had no one to care for him—until Sidewalk Specials, a South African dog rescue based in De Doorns, learned about his situation and rushed to help.
Rachael Sylvester, the rescue’s founder, wasn’t sure what to expect when she arrived. Gunnar had been alone, cold, and terrified for days. Yet, as she approached, she saw something unexpected—he was clutching a massive piece of bread in his tiny mouth.
Despite everything he had endured, Gunnar’s tail wagged enthusiastically, and he even seemed willing to share his only meal.
“Even after a week of being scared and alone, he was still happy to see us, still wagging his tail, still wanting to share his piece of bread,” Sylvester told The Dodo.
But behind that brave face, Gunnar was in desperate need of help. He was rushed to the vet, where his condition was revealed to be even worse than expected.
“Gunnar was severely anemic, suffering from tick bite fever, and had one of the worst worm and tick infestations we’d ever seen,” Sidewalk Specials shared on Facebook. “He also had an eye infection that needed immediate treatment.”
After an overnight stay at the clinic and intensive care, Gunnar began to show signs of improvement. His unwavering spirit kept him fighting.
“His absolutely positive attitude kept him going,” Sylvester said.
Just a week later, Gunnar was placed with a loving foster family, but he didn’t stay there long—his forever mom, Freya, quickly fell in love and adopted him. From the start, Gunnar felt right at home.
“He wasn’t difficult to open up to us at all,” Freya told The Dodo.
Years have passed since his rescue, and Gunnar now enjoys a life filled with love and adventure. Along the way, he’s also discovered an unusual passion—rock collecting.
“He carefully searches for the perfect rock,” Freya said, “and then proudly brings it to you.”
The painful days of Gunnar’s past are long behind him. Now, he spends his time playing, going on walks, and most importantly, being cherished by his family.