When a Calgary family saw Gunther, Gasket and Goliath on the news, they knew they had to put in an application to adopt them.
“We immediately fell in love with them,” said the family, who has asked to remain anonymous for now, while they all adjust.
READ MORE: Trio of Saint Bernards at Edmonton Humane Society must be adopted together
They are strong proponents of adoption, having adopted a number of pets in the past. One of their two children — who are 10 and 16 years old — is also adopted.
“We are beyond excited to be giving these three dogs their forever home,” the family said. “When we found out that we were getting the opportunity to meet them, we cried tears of joy.
“Pets add so much to the family and we’re so happy we can give back to them by providing a loving home for the rest of their lives.”
The family has a large, fenced yard and one other dog. That was one of the reasons a Calgary family was chosen to adopt the trio of Saint Bernards.
“While there were many loving families that came forward, one of the challenges in adopting three large dogs together were the animal control bylaws,” the Edmonton Humane Society said in a news release on Thursday.
“Many cities and counties specify a maximum of three or four dogs per household. Calgary however … has bylaws focusing on responsible pet ownership but does not currently have a limit on dogs.”
The EHS received adoption inquiries from across the country and even from other parts of the world. The agency prioritized homes that were in Alberta to minimize stress on the dogs, who have been through a lot of change in recent months.
The dogs first came into EHS’s care on Sept. 22 after being transferred from another animal welfare agency. Staff found all three were bonded and experienced stress and anxiety when separated. After hearing about the dogs on the news, people who previously knew them came forward to EHS and confirmed that the three were littermates and have been together since birth.
On Oct. 9, the EHS sent out a public plea for help finding a home that could take all three dogs. It had to close applications after receiving over 200 inquiries from all over the world in the first day alone.
READ MORE: Over 200 adoption inquiries about trio of Saint Bernards at Edmonton Humane Society
The family has decided to keep the names given to the dogs by the Edmonton Humane Society.
“We’re going to definitely keep all their names. We’ll have to get them to learn their names a little bit more, but yes, we’ll definitely keep their names.”
Watch below: Three Saint Bernards who were up for adoption in Edmonton have found their forever home in Calgary.
What’s next for the family of eight?
“We’ve got to get them home, we’ve got to get them settled, we’ve got to get them into our family, and just enjoy every moment of it. It’s going to be a lot of fun. And a new vacuum cleaner!”
They hope their story encourages more people to consider adoption.
“There are still so many more dogs that need to be adopted, so for those that applied, come down to the humane society and adopt another dog for your home. Please.”
The EHS is hosting a special adoption event until Sunday, Oct. 21, for the 250 other animals at its shelter. Adoption fees for all animals will be reduced during this time. For people who are not ready to adopt, the charity will also accept donations to support the care of animals like Gasket, Gunther and Goliath.