De Doorns (South Africa) - What a bitter mistake: the veterinary office had simply overlooked him! Puppy Gunnar was left to fend for himself for a week in De Doorns, South Africa, after his mother and siblings were rescued from the streets. Luckily, someone informed the animal welfare organization "Sidewalk Specials". When the rescuers arrived to put the abandoned Gunnar out of his misery, he greeted them with a gesture that melted their hearts.

The little dog kept grabbing an old slice of toast and walking towards the animal rescuers as if he wanted to give it to them. With his clumsy but lovable nature, he won over his rescuers by storm.

"He had been freezing for a week, scared and alone," Rachael Sylvester, founder of Sidewalk Specials, told The Dodo this week.

She herself had been present at the rescue and witnessed the furry friend's touching gesture. He was "still wagging his tail, still happy to see us, still wanted to share his piece of bread with us", she said.

Nevertheless, it was clear to the animal welfare workers that Gunnar urgently needed help. They took him with them and immediately drove to the vet. There they received several pieces of bad news.

Gunnar was suffering from anemia, tick bite fever and one of the worst worm and tick infestations the team had ever seen. He also had an eye infection. And all this in the first seven weeks of his life. But Gunnar was to surprise everyone!

"His absolutely positive attitude kept him alive ," Sylvester told the animal magazine. After just one week at the vet, the four-legged friend was released.

No wonder it didn't take him long to turn his new owner Freya's head. Gunnar came to live with her after just a few days.

Around three years have passed since then. And even today, the male dog is still a real cheerful character. What luck that Gunnar was rescued in time!