Why Not Travel Store - Pet of the Month for August 2025

Question: What does Peter Falk, Sandy Duncan, Sammy Davis Jr., James Joyce, John Ford, Jack Elam and our August 2025 Pet of the Month; Gunner, have in common??

Answer: They are all famous and all have only one eye.

Meet Gunner, our Why Not Travel Store Pet of the Month for August, 2025. Gunner owns his parents Craig and Jane Bykerk. He was adopted by his parents when he was just four weeks old. When Gunner was just four months old he fell from a bike basket and tragically lost one of his eyes. He has adjusted fine and loves his family and especially kids. His permanent home is in Hudsonville, Michigan (Digester: Burr!!). Gunner winters in Gold Canyon, Arizona (Digester: That's more like it!!). Gunner is a shih tzu and was born nine years ago.  Gunner was passing through The Why Not Travel Store in Why while on a trip to Mexico. He saw the truck fountain and it was 'love at first sight' and so he wanted to test the waters for a drink. Gunner will be happy to visit when he heads again to Mexico. 

Gunner, next time you are in the area, feel free to get a drink. We would recommend to drink out of the dog dish though because certain times of the year, we get Colorado River Toads in the fountain area and the dog dish is much fresher (and probably tastes better). 

The Why Not Travel Store is glad Gunner is joining our Pet of the Month pack of winning pet pictures. Congratulations on being The Why Not Travel Store's August 2025 Pet of the Month and thanks for visiting us Gunner!!

At The Why Not Travel Store, we like fur babies like you stopping in because it gives our crew a chance to pet you. You have earned the honorary title of "The Why Not Travel Store's Pet of the Month" for which your family will receive a $50 gift certificate to The Why Not Travel Store.

Pet owners: When the temperature is warm (7🌞° F or above), please do not leave your pets in the car unattended. Our store is pet friendly for friendly pets.

How to Enter Pet of the Month

​Want to take a chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate to our store? Take a photo(s) of your pet(s) (dog, cat, parrot, horse, whatever...) at one of our many store settings (FounTruck, 'Greetings from Why' mural, our cactus garden, etc.) and send 

To:

• Whynottravelstore@outlook.com
• ​With the Subject Line: Pet of the Month Entry - (Name of your pet(s))
  

Please provide this info:

• Your Name & Address (please indicate if we can use your name in the writeup or not. We will not use your address although we might indicate from where you are from.)
• Your preferred method of contact (Text, E-Mail, Phone)
• ​Your Pet's Name and Age
• What brought you down our way?
• A short bio of your pet(s) e.g., how you came to being their parent, activities they like to do
  

​Every month, our staff from across the nation will review submissions and if your pet is selected, somebody from the store will reach out to you. If your pet is not selected, fear not for your pet will be put back in the contest for the following month(s) contest.

The Why Not reserves the right to use your photo for our contest, winner of the contest, and the WNTS Pet of the Month Alumni both on this site and YouTube and any other social media platform.