Gunny and The Magical Pack

08/30/2023

What a great read! I never saw this article when it first came out, but stumbled on it the other day when it was re-shared by McMillan Animal Behavior. Before/when the first Beloved Blockhead came into my life all those decades ago, I'll admit it...I was guilty of saying "It's all in how you raise them." I meant well. I had stars in my eyes and love in my heart. But then...along came Gunny, and I never uttered that phrase again. The sweetest, most dog-loving, cat-loving, people-loving dog around...freshly mangled, painted with old scars and straight from his rescue from the world of dog-fighting. The description of Theodore's behavior could have been written about Gunny. And I had the same experiences that Trish had with well-meaning strangers saying the same phrase---and I always struggled about how to reply. Despite the stars in my eyes and the love in my heart that remains for my Beloved Blockheads, actually it is not ALL in how you raise them...and in so many cases, that is a blessing! https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-theyre-raised-pit-bulls_b_8029078/amp?fbclid=IwAR1Zn6MItju-34RVBNHZyKdMR37DxDZBXJP2FVoSF_9ZUqbKrbKa0LfpVos

Please, pit bull lovers, stop saying "it's all how they're raised." I know you mean well. But if you truly believe "it's all how they're raised," no stray shelter dog or abused dog would be safe to place in a home.

05/14/2023

On top of the traditional well-wishes on this day, we're also sending out a big Happy Mother's Day to all of the Critter Moms out there who are doing their very best for their kids. We see the sacrifices you make too, and we thank you. ❤️ Happy Mother's Day! ❤️

02/06/2023

The Gunny Grant is still helping Beloved Blockheads and their owners, but sometimes there aren't photos to share. To make up for the long gap in posts, I thought I'd share an old memory.

This was Gunny's first "on camera" interview, but CERTAINLY not his last! Added fun memory, I was wearing one of my all-time favorite t-shirts (that I kept until it was falling apart!) which was printed with "Dogs are a girl's best friend. Pit bulls are a girl's best dog." ❤️

11/29/2022

As Giving Tuesday approaches, we'd be honored if you considered The Gunny Grant as a possible cause to support. At last count, 51 Beloved Bullies were spayed or neutered, at no cost to their humans who needed a little bit of financial help. That is a lot of prevented potential puppies at a time when there are not enough loving homes for all of the animals at risk of euthanasia in county animal control shelters! We are grateful for every penny, as 100% of your donations go straight to these future Gunny Dogs.
If you would like to join the cause on Giving Tuesday (or on ANY day) please call our amazing friends at Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic at (704) 784-6304 to make a donation over the phone. Just be sure to ask them to slide your donation into The Gunny Grant account. You can also mail them a check at:
Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic
413 Church St N, Concord, NC 28025
Huge thanks for your support, whether it be financial or emotional. The love for Gunny that transcends his passing is so wonderful to see!

11/14/2022

MILESTONE ALERT!!! The Big 5-0…plus 1!
In August of 2020, Pack Daddy and I launched The Gunny Grant after helping the last surviving member of The Magical Pack cross The Bridge. In their memory, we committed to funding 1 spay or neuter surgery---every month---for a Beloved Blockhead whose humans needed a little financial help.

If the math held, we'd be able to say that we have helped 28 Gunny Dogs so far. Instead, due to donations of some Gunny Fans along the way, we are able to say that we have helped FIFTY-ONE Gunny Dogs! I will leave the exponential equations to the mathematicians out there, but if each of these dogs had--or fathered---just one litter, the number of puppies/grand-puppies/great-grand-puppies, etc. out there needing homes would be mind-blowing! So THANK YOU to all who have donated thus far!

If anyone would like to join the cause on Giving Tuesday (or on ANY day) please call our amazing friends at Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic at (704) 784-6304 to make a donation over the phone. Just be sure to ask them to slide your donation into The Gunny Grant account. You can also mail them a check at:
Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic
413 Church St N, Concord, NC 28025

In these tough times, we understand that some people don't have even one extra dollar to give, and we thank you too! We thank you for your encouragement, your Facebook shares and your real life shares. Your help in spreading the word, not just to potential donors but to people who might benefit from The Gunny Grant, is fantastic and very needed!

With much love for all of the Gunny Fans and the Beloved Blockheads out there,
Amy, Pack Daddy, and the sweet souls of Gunny & The Magical Pack

10/20/2022

10/12/2022

Another gorgeous Gunny Dog posed for a photo today. Glad we could help you and your owners out today Princess! And nods to some other recent Gunny Dogs and owners whose photos were not captured...glad to have been able to support your desire of getting your Beloved Blockhead spayed or neutered.

09/22/2022

Please say hello to the newest Gunny Dog, Ember! Grateful to be able to help out this cutie pie and related humans. ☺️☺️☺️☺️
Pack Daddy and I are not in this alone, and we are grateful for the people who have pitched in over the last 2 years to help us help even more Beloved Blockheads...and their caring humans. If you would like to join the effort, please reach out to Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic and let them know you'd like to make a donation to The Gunny Grant Fund. The clinic is a 501c3...always a good sign for organizations that take donations!...and ANY amount is HUGELY appreciated. Absolutely ALL OF IT goes straight to cover spay/neuter surgeries for the Gunny Dogs when earmarked for The Gunny Grant Fund.
Of course we are not all in a position to pitch in financially...but maybe you could help us spread the word to reach more owners/dogs in need? Thank you!!

09/02/2022

Yesterday's Gunny Girl. 🥰 Love that we were able to help Sadie and her owners with her spay surgery through our Gunny Grant. As always, we are grateful for Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic for doing these surgeries for our "beloved blockheads"...and for making such an impact on pet overpopulation worries.

08/16/2022

This weekend I got a surprise message from WCNC news. Somehow they became aware of The Gunny Grant, and wanted to help spread awareness during their Clear The Shelters initiative. When Gunny was alive, he and I were no strangers to TV interviews, but with his passing I thought that was all behind me. How interesting that 5 years...almost to the day...after he crossed The Rainbow Bridge, I was doing yet another interview about his legacy. Thanks buddy. Way to stay in the game. ❤ Here's the link to the story, including a quick part of my 20 minute, 8am Zoom interview. https://youtu.be/LzE_4aC-Iho

Amy and Dave Cranmer founded the Gunny Grant, a resource providing funds for pitbull and pitbull mix owners to get a pay or neuter surgery for their dog.

07/19/2022

TWO more Gunny Dogs today! 🥰 Brother Bodhi and Broly had their neuter surgeries at Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic, courtesy of our Gunny Grant. So glad to help the cutie pies out, and help their humans a little as well.

06/15/2022

06/15/2022

Another Gunny Dog in the books! Sorry Tiego wasn't a fan of the help we leant him and his humans, but we're still glad we could be there for them. Feel better buddy!

Our friend Tiego isn’t too happy about being neutered, but he’s another Gunny Grant success story. The Gunny Grant helps fund the spay and neuter surgeries of pit bulls and pit mixes here at our clinic. If you would like more info or want to donate, call us at (704) 784-6304. 😊

06/01/2022

Today's Gunny Dog! So glad our Gunny Grant was able to help out sweet Precious and her humans!

Another Gunny Girl for the books! This beautiful “Precious” was spayed today using the generous funds of the Gunny Grant for pit bulls! Interested in donating or in need of pit bull funding, please call us at (704) 784-6304. 😊

04/29/2022

After a little lull, we helped another Gunny dog this week. Please say hi to sweet Shiloh. No more risk of unplanned pups for this girl. Glad to help her and her humans. As always, thankful for Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic

01/24/2022

Molly

01/24/2022

Last week's Gunny Dog....please say hi to Miss Molly. Thankful the Gunny Grant was able to help her humans and get this sweet bully girl her very important spay surgery!

12/16/2021

Today's Gunny Dog! Sweet girl Soda was spayed today through the Gunny Grant...so glad to be able to help out this beloved bully and her humans.

11/19/2021

And some Gunny Siblings and their owner helped out today by The Gunny Grant. ❤

11/17/2021

Thankful to be able to help Enzo and his humans through The Gunny Grant today. And for our buddies at Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic

11/10/2021

A special Gunny Girl, spayed on Gunny's birthday, and that of the United States Marine Corps for which he was named and for which he was "birthday-ed" by his bestest Grandpa. Happy Birthday sweet Gunny, from our side of The Bridge. Honored to help Coco and her family out in Gunny's name, on Gunny's day. If you'd like to join our mission of helping some owners who are trying to do the right thing and just need a little help, please reach out to Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic and let them know you'd like to make a bully-loving donation to The Gunny Grant.

11/05/2021

Today's Gunny Dog...introducing dear Mona...spayed after multiple litters...off to a great start in her new life with her new mommy! Glad our Gunny Grant was able to help Mona and her humans get this very important surgery in their rearview mirror! Always glad for the connection between our Gunny Grant and Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic!

10/07/2021

Can't imagine if I'd missed out on the story that was Gunny and The Magical Pack! ❤

09/17/2021

Today, I ran into a Gunny Fan I haven't seen in awhile, and we talked about the incredible journey on which Gunny took so many of us. Feeling nostalgic, I did a little search on YouTube. I can't believe it's been over 13 years, but here is the original Gunny video....viewed so many thousands of times all around the world. Despite the limited number of photos we had of him back then, and the limited technology, when I watch it I am still overwhelmed by so many emotions. Talk about a once in a lifetime experience...and happily, one that continues to add joy and purpose to my life to this day. "Love always" is a real thing, not just a cliche. That said, love always sweet Gunny. Please help us continue to spread the word about the special soul that was, and is, dear Gunny. Mourning the fans and connections we lost when we had to delete Gunny's original page due to tech issues with FB....would love to reconnect with them, and inspire new fans. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TWcQUsGT_nA

Courageous story of Gunny, the injured Pitbill, who was saved by a dog rescue organization, and overcame immense physical obstacles.

08/27/2021

Maggie

08/27/2021

Meet Maggie, our latest Gunny Dog. So happy to be able to cover Maggie's much-needed surgery, and to lend a hand to her owner. As always, grateful for our relationship with Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic

08/17/2021

Yesterday sweet Dulce was spayed, thanks to the Gunny Grant. So happy to be able to help this girl and her family. As always, big thanks to Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic. Cabarrus Spay Neuter Clinic
❤BelovedBlockheads❤

08/17/2021

Dolce

07/28/2021

Putting all of the "Gunny Dogs" in one place for a cuteness overload. In the last 11 months, the Gunny Grant has covered the spay or neuter surgery of all of the dogs pictured, plus 4 additional dogs who were camera shy. Blowing past our commitment of one surgery per month with the help of you Gunny Fans! In addition to covering the cost of surgery, the Gunny Grant also provides a copy of the children's book Gunny and The Magical Pack---signed, well paw-printed, by Gunny...along with a bookmark and a note of encouragement from fellow bully lovers. If you'd like to make a tax deductible donation to the Gunny Grant, please reach out in the comments or in a message. As I get FB things "rebooted" after losing 13 years of info and Gunny-ness, I will slowly add things back so as not to overwhelm. Gunny Grant flyer still to come!

07/26/2021

The Magical Pack players...Oscar, Tobbles, Millie and Linc...with the post-Gunny-rescue addition, Miss Hope. TMP---with Gunny's additional help---saved Hope...just like they had saved Gunny.

07/26/2021

So, who is Gunny anyway?.....
In May of 2008, Gunny was rescued from his life as what was speculated to have been that of a "Bait Dog" in illegal dog fighting activities. He underwent three complex surgeries to remove a badly mangled leg and to repair severe crush injuries to his throat. Gunny's incredible will to live, and innately gentle nature, gained him fans quite literally around the globe. He worked diligently to educate the public about the horrors of dog fighting, the needs of animal rescues, and the wonderful world of animal adoption. Gunny was a key player in community programs around the Charlotte area. He paved the way to pilot an effort to link an elementary school with an animal rescue for educational and fundraising opportunities. Gunny was no stranger to TV news, papers and magazines. He won a nationwide search for The World's Most Amazing Dog, earning a year's worth of dog food (that he donated to the rescue group that saved his life) and a trip for his humans to ride on a float in the Rose Parade. It was a unique opportunity to spread the news of this special boy around the West Coast. Gunny's pack was, well, magical. What they did to save him was just one piece of a very cool, ongoing puzzle that saved many lives.
The story was so impactful that a children's book about his rescue was published in 2014. Entitled "Gunny and The Magical Pack", it is available on Amazon, and copies have been sold all around the world.
Although Gunny crossed The Rainbow Bridge in 2017, his legacy and outreach continues to this day. In 2020, prompted by the passing of Oscar, the sole surviving member of The Magical Pack and its benevolent leader, The Pack's humans crafted a new plan for continuing its good works in the pit bull community...and for keeping Gunny's story alive. The Gunny Grant was created, and provides assistance for pit bull owners in need of a little help in getting their dog spayed or neutered. Working in conjunction with our little, local, low-cost spay neuter clinic, we cover the costs of at least one pit bull surgery each month, and we provide a copy of Gunny's book to each recipient. We do this in the hope of getting a good book into the hands of one more child, and in the hope of showing one more child what kindness can do in the world.

07/26/2021