06/25/2026
👑 Adoption Update: Punkin, Our Spicy Queen 👑
When Punkin first came into our rescue, she made one thing crystal clear: she absolutely did not want to be here. She had opinions, and she wasn’t afraid to share them.
After a few days of decompressing and settling in, she slowly started to let her guard down—especially with Avory. Now, Avory is the person who shares all her food with the dogs, and honestly, sometimes I sit here wondering why all our dogs are a little chunky. Then I remember that Avory simply cannot say no to them. 😂
Punkin has always been a little spicy, a little opinionated, and more than a little stubborn. If she didn’t want to do something, it wasn’t happening—unless food, treats, or a pup cup were involved. She was selective about her people, selective about her dog friends, and marched to the beat of her own drum.
Truthfully, Punkin was one of those dogs I thought might stay with our rescue forever. Between her quirky behaviors, stubborn streak, and very specific preferences, finding the right home felt like it might be a challenge.
Then we received an application from an amazing family in Washington.
They understood her needs. They understood her timeline. They understood that trust isn’t something Punkin gives away freely, and they were willing to give her all the time she needed to decompress, adjust, and fall in love with them the same way she fell in love with Avory.
Those are the adopters we call unicorns.
Because let’s be honest—when you really think about it, why would someone choose to adopt a Chow Chow-Heeler mix whose list of dislikes is longer than her list of likes and rivals the former Queen of England’s list of royal protocols? Yet they did. They saw everything that makes Punkin special and loved her for exactly who she is.
As excited as we are for her, Avory is definitely going to miss her. For months, Avory has loved reminding me that, for the first time in a very long time, a dog chose her over me. And honestly, she wasn’t wrong.
So today we celebrate Punkin’s incredible journey—from being dumped beside a dumpster in a Dollar General parking lot to heading off to the high life in Seattle, Washington.
No more wondering where her next meal will come from.
No more surviving.
No more being overlooked.
Just a family who adores her, a home of her own, and a future where she gets to be exactly what she’s always believed she was:
A queen. 👑
Congratulations, Punkin. We are so proud of you, and we know your new family is going to love every spicy, stubborn, quirky, wonderful thing about you.
Seattle, get ready. Your queen is on her way!!!