Rocky and Gemma: From Unwanted Rescue Dogs to Family

Plenty of pet owners have bought a dog from a pet store at one point in time. Buying from a pet store or a breeder can seem quick and easy if you’re anxious to take home a furry companion. But if you have just a little time, there are a lot of unwanted rescue dogs looking for a home.

We caught up with Kerry, owner of Rocky and Gemma, who shared the heartwarming stories of adoption. She is one to vouch for the awesome rewards that come from rescuing a pup (or in her case, multiple).

How did you rescue Rocky and Gemma?

Rocky, our boxer, is a rescue through Last Hope in Farmington, MN. We
adopted him 5 years ago. We basically thought helping him out would be the right thing to do – we had the time and financial resources and he would have other dogs to hang out with and not have the stress of daycare.

Gemma the Bugg was rescued by Underdog Rescue of MN. We had fostered for them but had taken a break when one of our other dogs died suddenly. They contacted us about her and a Boston Terrier puppy needing fostering after being rescued at a puppy mill auction. We agreed to take both of them.

It soon became apparent that the Boston Terrier pup had significant medical issues and needed a very quiet, non-active home. In the meantime, Gemma made it clear that there was no place she would rather be than here.

How have your pup’s lives been changed by the rescue?

Rocky now has a fenced yard to play in, two other dog companions, gets lots of love, high quality food, treats and exercise. He’s an awesome big brother to Gemma and has put up with her puppy antics and playfulness for almost 2 years.
I really have a hard time expressing how much I love this guy because he’s just part of our family!

As for Gemma, she filled a void in our home and hearts when our other dog passed. She brought some fun puppy energy and playfulness to our house.

Gemma is always up for an adventure so I have become more connected to the dog social media community to go to events and try new things (lure coursing and SUP with your pup were our latest – looking into barn hunt or agility next).

Underdog Rescue changes the lives of puppy mill dogs young and old – they offer a soft place to land to dogs who have been used as breeding dogs and studs who have been treated horribly. They also prevent puppies from entering the puppy mill cycle.

How has rescuing impacted you and your family?

As for our family, rescuing/adopting dogs has changed how we look at the process of owning a pet. A long time ago, we purchased a puppy from a pet store without knowing where it came from (probably a puppy mill).

We also used to purchase puppies from newspaper ads (before Craigslist) not knowing about backyard breeders. While we loved all these dogs, we now look at adopting first when looking for a companion.