This is Kaya, Chuck, and Kota. They’re my granddogs. Their stories are worth telling.

The three dogs live in a community in Texas with a large military base where the local animal rescue is a “kill” shelter. That means that if a cat or dog is not adopted within a certain period of time, the animal is put to death.

Chuck and Kota (the dog in the middle and the one on the right) were in kill shelters where my son-in-law met them, took them in, and saved their lives.

Then there was Kaya (on the left). Kaya’s dad/owner is in the military and was getting deployed to Afghanistan. Kaya needed a home desperately. Despite having two dogs and a brand-new child, my daughter and son-in-law (who is ex-Army) promised to care for Kaya until her dad can come home—because that’s what military families do for their friends and neighbors.

At Innovairre, we work with many animal rescue organizations. We cherish the work they do. But having spent the Christmas season with these three terrific dogs (and the rest of the family) reminded me to appreciate not only the nonprofits that rescue animals but also the people who find a place in their hearts and homes to ultimately care for them.

Finally, I’m happy to report that Kaya, Chuck, and Kota all had a Merry Christmas and loved their new toys.

Don McKenzie is President & Chief Growth Officer of Innovairre Communications, which supports more than 500 nonprofit organizations around the world. Contact us at Answers@Innovairre.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.