From Rock Bottom to Redemption: Sunny, Carter & Baby Russ Find Their Forever 💛

Cali Trevino
Jun 23
4 min read

At Rescue Lyfe, we see the world through two lenses: heartbreak and hope.

Heartbreak greets us first — when a dog is found abandoned, injured, or afraid. But hope follows close behind, carried in the arms of every volunteer, every vet visit, every car ride to a foster home. It’s what we hold onto when the odds seem impossible. It’s what fuels everything we do.

Today, we’re honored to share three of those impossible stories that turned into something beautiful.

Three dogs.

Three tragedies.

Three brand new lives.

All three have been adopted and living their best lives

Meet Sunny, Carter, and Baby Russ — three rescue stories with one common thread: love showed up, and everything changed.

☀️ Sunny (formerly Dalen)

We were contacted about a heartbreaking situation unfolding at a mobile home park in Thermal, CA. A young Doberman, barely two years old, was hiding beneath a trailer and inside a carport — trying to survive but met only with fear and cruelty.

Neighbors reported that residents were chasing him away with brooms. Children were throwing things at him. Covered in painful fly bites, crawling with ticks, severely underweight, and too afraid to eat without glancing over his shoulder… he had no one.

We named him Dalen. And we knew he needed help — fast.

We took him to the vet, where he was treated for the fly bites and a tick-borne disease and began a healing journey that went far beyond medicine. With proper care, patience, and love, he started to trust again — and started to shine.

Today, he’s known as Sunny — and the name couldn’t be more perfect. Adopted by a loving family in Oregon, Sunny now gets to live the life every dog deserves: safe, free, and fully loved.

From trauma to trust. From shelter stress to sunshine. Sunny’s story is a radiant reminder that healing is possible.

❤️ Carter

Carter was found as a stray in Rancho Mirage — scared, confused, and alone. He ended up in the shelter, where things quickly took a turn for the worse.

Carter at the Shelter

Like many sensitive dogs, Carter didn’t cope well in the chaotic shelter environment. He was suffering from severe kennel stress, and his fear began to manifest as defensive, fear-based behavior. Though he was never aggressive by nature, the shelter interpreted his reactions as a risk — and placed him on the euthanasia list.

But Rescue Lyfe saw the truth beneath the fear. This wasn’t a dangerous dog — this was a dog who’d been through too much and needed someone to believe in him.

We pulled Carter just in time, and today, he’s proving every day that he was worth saving.

Carter at his new home

Now adopted and thriving in Chino, Carter has formed a special bond with his new dad and gets along beautifully with their family poodle. He’s playful, loyal, and affectionate — the gentle soul we always knew he was.

From misunderstood to deeply loved — Carter’s story is a testament to the power of patience and second chances.

🦴 Baby Russ

This sweet shepherd-lab pup had already lived a lifetime of pain — and he wasn’t even a year old.

Baby Russ had been surviving in the desert alongside a homeless encampment when he was hit by a car. He never received medical attention. By the time we found him, his leg was beyond saving.

Rescue Lyfe immediately stepped in and sent him to Mexicali, where he received the urgent medical treatment and amputation surgery he so desperately needed. From there, his healing journey began — and so did his second chance at life.

Baby Russ

Through it all, Russ remained one of the sweetest, goofiest boys you’ll ever meet. He greeted every moment with tail wags, wobbly hops, and endless trust — despite all the pain he had endured.

Today, Baby Russ is thriving with his amazing new dad. He splits his time between Pioneertown and San Diego, where he’s already a regular at the dog beach — charming everyone he meets with his zest for life.

Baby Russ out for a walk