Frankie’s story was originally shared in the Clear the Shelters Adoption Story Challenge on ShelterChallenge.com. Create your own free Shelter Challenge account and vote for your favorite shelter or rescue group to win cash and prizes. Every time you vote we’ll give an extra donation to shelters!
My beagle, Penny, seemed very lonely after the recent passings of her doggie cousins, and with me going back to the office after working from home for two months. I had applied to foster with a few rescues in the area. I saw Frankie’s (Pappa Beagle) story on an Instagram account I follow that helps promote homeless doggies from a Yonkers, New York animal shelter. Frankie was surrendered to the shelter along with a younger, pregnant female, and Town and Country K9 ResQ took them in.
I saw that Momma Beagle was at a vet’s office with the four baby boys she delivered and Frankie needed a foster. I applied, was screened, and picked him up a few days later! Poor boy had the spirit and energy of a young dog, but the body of an old man. He had some open sores on hind quarters, hookworm, gunky ears, a heart murmur, he cried when he pooped, and he was itchy all over. He was treated for his ailments, but it took a few weeks to get him on track.
Penny and Frankie immediately got along well, but when Penny tried to get him to play, he was not interested. I would post his pictures to social media with a hashtag “#fosteringfrankie.” My friends all said I would be a foster fail, but I was determined to be a foster parent. I wanted to help dogs and rescues and shelters in this important role to keep making room for the “next one.” A friend even coined a new hashtag “#foreverfrankie.” One day I noticed Frankie was holding his back leg up constantly. My heart hurt for him because he didn’t let it faze him, yet it made me wonder what this boy had been through. It made me realize there wasn’t any way I could let him go.
During all this time, although he wouldn’t play with Penny, they loved to cuddle with each other. They are just so sweet together! I took him to have his leg x-rayed. Without even having his results, I called the rescue that day and told them I wanted to adopt Frankie. He belongs with Penny and me. He is our #foreverfrankie!” Turns out, this boy had a tear in a ligament, chronic Lyme disease, and signs of a previous fracture in his other leg. There wasn’t much we can do for his leg because the limping may have been caused by the Lyme disease. Now, since receiving his treatment, Frankie is back to zipping around his very own fenced yard. He even got to meet one of his sons, Barnabee Beagle, during a doggie playdate!
Everyone that meets Frankie just loves him. His grandparents spoil him as if he’s been theirs forever! And Penny doesn’t just have a friend, she has her lobster! (Friends reference!). We love our little family. If Town and Country didn’t save this sweet beagle family, I wouldn’t have the perfect addition to mine. All the adoptive families stay in touch thanks to a FB group T&C put together for us! Such a wonderful, caring rescue!
Story submitted by Aimee Radeschi.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
