Love, indeed, heals everything.
When Frannie found herself facing euthanasia due to neglect and obesity, she seemed like a lost cause. At 125 pounds, she was practically immobile. This Golden Retriever girl could not stand up on her own or engage in any sort of activity.
Then, a miracle in human form walked into her life – a girl named Annika! And, suddenly, things began to change.
Frannie Had No Light In Her Eyes
Annika Bram, a veterinary medicine student in California, felt a deep connection to Frannie the minute she saw her. It was an Instagram video posted by Rover’s Retreat, the rescue in Los Angeles, that made her decide to foster Frannie.
Before the two met, Frannie, the Goldie, had lived her entire life outside, and her owners wanted to euthanize her due to obesity.
“She is an 8 year old, 125 pound golden retriever who was set to be euthanized due to her weight. She could barely even sit up and was defeated. She lived outside and slept on concrete her whole life leading to massive callouses on her legs,” her foster wrote on Instagram.
Luckily, Rover’s Retreat gave Frannie another chance, and this time, it was Annika who took her in.
During the first weeks in her new home, Frannie wasn’t able to do anything by herself. She refused to walk, stand up, or play, and there was absolutely no spark in her eyes.
“She could not stand up at all. She had no light in her eyes. She just looked at us like, ‘I’m at the end of my rope, guys’,” Annika told The Dodo.
As a dog owner who already had a pup that struggled with obesity, Annika knew the recipe for success. She started slowly, exploring Frannie’s interests – until she discovered one. As it turned out, this Golden girl was obsessed with tennis balls!
Annika seized every opportunity to incorporate balls in Frannie’s daily activities. Step by step, the two began to play and even take a few short walkies – always with tennis balls!
Weeks later, Frannie’s eyes sparkled with long-lost joy, and she signaled to Annika that she was ready for a transformative journey. Together, they broke a sweat and shed tears, but ultimately, they managed to reduce Frannie’s weight by half.
This Is Her Now
Four months is all it took. Four months was enough for Annika to fall deeply in love with her foster dog, which ultimately meant only one thing – that she wouldn’t be going anywhere!
Annika’s California home became Frannie’s safe haven, a place she embraced with an open heart.
“4 months later, now stable and better than ever, as everyone predicted (and we knew from the beginning 😂) Frannie is OFFICIALLY a foster fail and has been adopted by her foster mom,” Rover’s Retreat wrote in an Instagram post.
Thanks to her mom’s dedicated efforts, Frannie lost an incredible 70 pounds!
She looked astonishingly different, as if her days of being obese had never happened. Frannie’s story soon made headlines all over the country, and she became a local superstar – all thanks to Annika and the dog’s determination.
Today, the two are happier than ever and still going strong.
Frannie has far surpassed her lethargic phase and now explores the world in the most adventurous ways.
While her story is now being told worldwide, she is living the best life possible, cherishing every single moment with her loving mom.
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