Arkansas Family Takes In A Dog Who Spent Most Of His Life In A Cage, Then Watches Him Discover A Bed
After years of being ignored on the streets and living in an outdoor shelter, a resilient dog took a 17-hour flight to finally find a family of his own in Arkansas.
Ignored on the Streets
Before he ever knew the warmth of a loving home, a sweet dog named Frankie had to survive on his own. He was found wandering the streets, completely invisible to the busy world around him.
Tragically, people were just walking right over him, paying no mind to the suffering animal at their feet.
His early life was filled with hardship, but his story was far from over. A rescue organization was about to step in and change his entire world.
Scars of a Painful Past
Frankie’s physical condition told a heartbreaking story of neglect. He had serious injuries around his neck, the result of a collar that had been left on him since he was just a growing puppy.
From the time he was 10 months old until he reached four years of age, he lived in an outdoor shelter in China.
Those years in the shelter took away his youth, but incredibly, they never managed to break his gentle spirit.
A Global Rescue Mission
Frankie’s second chance came thanks to Bunny’s Buddies, a United States-based rescue that partners with shelters in China and Korea.
They saw the sweet boy who had spent most of his life in a cage and decided he deserved a family of his own.
To get to his new life, Frankie had to brave a massive journey, flying 17 hours all the way from China to Seattle.
The Moment of Freedom
When his new family finally picked him up at the airport in Seattle, the energy was electric. Frankie was super excited to see them.
His new parents cheered him on, telling him, “Run, Frankie, you’re going home.”
On his very first day of freedom, he was full of curiosity. He just wanted to go everywhere and see everything he had been missing.
The Long Road to Arkansas
Because his new family lived in Arkansas, getting home from Seattle meant embarking on a massive road trip.
This long drive turned out to be the perfect bonding experience for the new family.
They took their time, stopping along the way to let Frankie stretch his legs and even treating him to some delicious ice cream.
A Breakthrough in the Hotel
The first night of their journey, the family stopped at a hotel to rest. Initially, Frankie wasn’t quite sure what to make of the comfortable room.
For the first few hours, he chose to lay on the floor all by himself, still adjusting to the drastic changes in his environment.
But by the end of that very first night, something beautiful happened. Frankie climbed up into the bed and started cuddling with his new parents.
Discovering the Joy of Play
As they continued their trip, they made sure to stop at a park so Frankie could burn off some of his built-up energy.
His family didn’t know if anyone had ever played fetch with him before, but they quickly learned that the boy absolutely loves to run and chase balls.
He was super into toys right from the get-go, making up for all the years he spent without them.
A Puppy in an Adult Body
Despite being four years old, Frankie’s personality is like a puppy stuck in an adult dog’s body.
He goes absolutely crazy with excitement whenever he sees a leash and a collar, knowing it means another adventure.
He is just a super happy dog who runs around with pure joy every time his family gets home.
Leaving Yesterday Behind
According to his family, Frankie doesn’t have a single sad bone in his body. His philosophy seems to be that yesterday was yesterday, and today is a new day to live life to the fullest.
Because he spent such a large portion of his life in a shelter, his family feels they owe him a beautiful life filled with love and fun.
Having never really had people of his own before, Frankie now has exactly what he always wanted: a family to curl up beside, where he will be loved forever.
