The Dogs of Big Bear

Each pair of Big Bear Sunglasses was inspired by a shelter dog, some of them our dogs, some of them not. Learn the stories behind each of the original 8 pairs of Big Bear Sunglasses.

Forest Bear Sunglasses (pictured above)

First up, Big Bear herself our 4th rescue dog, Lulabell can often be found happily trotting amongst the trees, Lulabell's boundless love for the great outdoors was the inspiration for the Forest Bear sunglasses.

Lu's life began at a puppy mill and she was sold to a sedentary, elderly couple with negligible education about her breed or needs as a pet. This mismatch escalated as she was deprived of the vigorous exercise her breed required and was instead given food as a means of pacification. With time, Lulabella became severely obese, weighing almost 100 pounds, an unhealthy weight for her breed.

She was eventually surrendered to a shelter, after spending just a few months there my wife and I agreed to take her in as a foster.

In a twist of fate, Lulabella was adopted while in our care but returned to us just one week later. It was then we realized that Lu had indeed already found her forever home, it was ours.

Foxy Roxy

Our "Foxy Roxy" black sunglasses are designed taking inspiration from a survivor, Roxy, a dog whose life story is a testament to the toughness of spirit, the resilience of body, and the transformative power of love and care.

Roxy began her life as a stray, she was extremely stressed and very defensive with shelter staff often lunging or barking. She was brought in with a tail injury and ended up undergoing an amputation to help her avoid a life of chronic pain. She spent a year in the shelter.

After her recovery from surgery her demeanor improved dramatically and she was eventually adopted. Roxy's life took an incredible turn for the better with the help of the dedicated staff at her shelter.

Bully Beige

Named after Carmen, a spirited dog with high energy and anxious temperament, the Bully Beige sunglasses were inspired by our 3rd rescue dog.

Carmen's early life was one of constant movement, being shuffled around multiple homes and even sold on Facebook, she eventually made her way to an animal shelter. Stressed and reactive the shelter environment only intensified her anxiety.

Caught in a catch-22 situation, Carmen was considered too "bully" for traditional rescues and "not bully enough" for the bully rescues. With no one stepping up to take the scared anxious dog out of the shelter we agreed to be her new foster family. We adopted her a few short months after she entered our home as a foster.

Princess Pink

Our "Princess Pink" sunglasses embody resiliency, strength, and unperturbed cheerfulness in the face of adversity, drawing inspiration from a loving, strong-spirited dog named Princess.

Princess was surrendered by her previous owners simply due to her old age. In addition to the heartbreak of abandonment, she also struggled with severe hip dysplasia, leading to a unique walk that earned her the nickname 'Toad.' Nevertheless, her physical conditions never put a damper on her unyielding spirit.

Though wrangling with health issues, Princess's affectionate heart still held an undeniable fondness for other dogs, she very much enjoyed the company and play of the other shelter dogs.

Princess spent 8 long months in the shelter before she eventually found her new home. Princess is currently enjoying retirement with her new family.

Groot Blue

The Groot Blue shades were inspired by our 2nd rescue and goodest boy, Groot. We can't guarantee that you'll be quite has handsome as him wearing them but we can guarantee you'll have some pretty cool sunglasses.

At just 3-4 months old, Groot's journey started on the streets of Tennessee when he was picked up by animal control. He spent a year in their care until a rescue organization in Illinois agreed to bring him up.

Groot spent another 2 years with the rescue organization that pulled him from Tennessee, until we officially adopted him. He’d never been in a home before, when we brought Groot into our house he was scared of everything, especially stairs and the ceiling fan.

Groot has been a loving member of our family for the last 10 years (and he's still going strong!).

Ron's Evergreen

Meet Ron, a brave rescue dog with a heartrending past and an inspiring present, these sunglasses celebrate the journey of transformation from hardship to happiness. Ron, along with 15 other dogs were rescued from a hoarding case. He spent a lot of his early life inside a crate. After being rescued Ron spent another 7 months in an animal shelter.

Ron didn't see grass until about 8 months of age, it took 3 months of hard work from dedicated shelter staff to get him comfortable outside. Despite the adversity he faced, Ron was eventually sent to a foster family who ended up adopting him. Green grass is now part of Ron's daily routine thanks to the animal shelters and rescue organizations efforts.

Jelly Fantastico

In honor of our first rescue dog, Madame Jelly Fantastico, a Jack Russell Terrier with a fearless zest for life. Her tastes were as bold as her attitude and she could almost always be seen wearing something audacious.

She was picked up from the streets in a state of ill health, she also bore the mark of her unknown past, a large, mysterious scar on her back leg. Jelly was found as a stray and spent almost a year in the shelter before my wife adopted her. Yet, Jelly's spirit was unbroken, her resilient and adventurous spirit reflected in her love for long walks and hikes in the forest, and her fondness for chasing after a frisbee.

Jelly also played an integral role in helping our other shelter dogs acclimate to our home, serving as a calm and steady presence amidst their transition. Jelly lived to the old age of 16 years, the Jelly Fantastico sunglasses are a colorful reminder of the incredible dog who left a lasting impression on our lives.

Milo Gray

Gray and shiny, like Milo himself. Milo's life began with severe challenges as he was found riddled with an acute case of mange, which gave him a distinctive appearance referred to as 'elephant skin'. The mange, coupled with the trauma of being a stray, left Milo fearful to the point that he would shake and huddle with his brothers for comfort.

Recognizing his fear, the shelter moved Milo to a quieter office area and after three months of skin treatments for his mange he was placed in the home of a foster family where he currently resides.

Milo has spent over 700 days in the shelter system, he is still awaiting his forever family.

These are just a few of the shelter dogs that have touched our lives over the years, there are thousands more that haven't gotten their stories shared and millions more that need help. 

Each pair of Big Bear Brand Sunglasses purchased we donate 20% of proceeds to animal shelters and rescues in the United States. Every Pair helps. Consider us next time you're in the market for some new sunglasses. 

Look cool, help dogs.