A boxer dog on the euthanasia list was given her “best last day” before her time was up—but then something amazing happened right in the nick of time.
Evelyn Garces, 18, volunteers at the Lancaster Animal Care Center in California where she often spends time with animals who are due to be put down. Among those was Ginger, a boxer who was surrendered by her owners in April.
Unfortunately, the shelter only has capacity for around 170 animals, and Garces tells Newsweek that they currently have “over 220 animals” in their care. So, when Ginger and her brother Juice were brought in, they were put on the euthanasia list because there simply wasn’t enough space.
“Multiple dogs are kenneled together to try to give them enough time to make it out,” Garces said. “There are sometimes 40 dogs in a day that are brought in as strays and owner surrenders. Sadly, the average stay of a dog is only 30 days.”
Ginger the boxer during her best last day on May 19.
@evelyn.garces_ / TikTok
The boxer was scheduled to be euthanized on May 20, so Garces made it her mission to give the sweet pup her “best last day” before that happened.
She continued: “We try to do this for every dog scheduled for euthanasia the next morning. Sometimes, it’s the first and last time they’ve been out of their kennel since they arrived. It usually consists of us giving them treats (including cheeseburgers), time for them to finally relax, and receive so much love.”
Overcrowding is a systemic issue, leading to approximately 607,000 animals euthanized in shelters in 2024, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Despite volunteering for nearly a year, Garces is still haunted by the idea of dogs being euthanized through no fault of their own. Boxers especially have always held a special place in her heart, so she couldn’t stand the thought of Ginger losing her life.
“She reminded me so much of my boxer, Bravo. It made it so much more painful, and I knew I had to attempt to get her out,” Garces said.
She posted a “last call” video on TikTok (@evelyn.garces_) on May 19, explaining that Ginger needed a home before it was too late. The clip showed Ginger enjoying her final day and receiving plenty of fuss, with a caption adding that she needed an exit plan immediately if she was to survive.
As luck would have it, the video went viral with over 206,500 views and 19,000 likes on TikTok, as internet users were touched by her story and wanted to help. The next morning, Ginger was given a one-day extension to see if someone would adopt her.
Finally, her fortunes turned around, as a TikTok user came forward that afternoon to offer Ginger a forever home.
Garces said: “She mentioned that she wouldn’t be able to drive to the shelter, so I reached out to Emily, a volunteer at an LA City shelter who was so excited to be part of Ginger’s journey. By the time the final exit plan was made, the shelter was closed, so Emily stated she would be at the shelter the next morning.
“Because there was a proper exit plan, Ginger was spared from euthanasia that morning. Emily got there right on time and drove her to her forever home. Now, Ginger is forever safe from being on another euthanasia list.”
Ginger had technically passed her scheduled euthanasia date by the time she was spared. She is said to be loving her new home and is already coming out of her shell.
Garces has been blown away by the online support that helped Ginger find a family. Indeed, she often posts about dogs in need, but she told Newsweek that she’s “never seen such a will to help from the public” until now.
She posted a TikTok video in the following days showing how Ginger was “completely out of time” but the internet managed to come through for her.
The teenager was previously inspired to help save animals on the euthanasia list by her soul dog, Honor. Garces said she was “overlooked in the shelter” and had to be put down to make space. Since then, she’s done everything she can to help other rescue dogs get the second chance Honor never got.
“I just want to honor her legacy and the impact she had on my life. Honor continues to inspire me to help those like her,” Garces said.
“I get why euthanasia needs to be done, and I will never judge the people who have to do it. But knowing that a dog did nothing wrong and will still face the consequences of a societal issue is simply unbearable,” she continued.
Ginger’s last call video has gained more than 2,900 comments on TikTok so far, as internet users rallied to find her a home.
One comment reads: “I’m so sorry Ginger. She looks like a perfect girl.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “It breaks my heart that they give so much and we take their lives away.”
While another person added: “I pray she gets rescued and finds her forever home.”
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