Bullet can’t keep good dog down
By Greg Rayburn \ Editor
Wednesday, November 21, 2007 11:09 AM CST
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SHE’S SAFE NOW: Frannie is safe now that she has been adopted. Taken to the North Hills Animal Clinic with a bullet in her jaw, she’s alive and well, and an animal care fund was started in her name. |
Frannie is a adorable, tail-wagging bundle of unconditional canine love. More than that, she’s tough. Not even a bullet could stop her.
But if it weren’t for the support of central Arkansans, the chocolate Labrador would be dead.
While some of the daily realities for Sherwood Animal Shelter workers and volunteers deal with euthanizing unadopted cats and dogs, Frannie’s tale has a storybook ending.
Gretchen Helton, a Sherwood animal control officer, remembers when Frannie was taken to the shelter on Oct. 12 by someone saying something was wrong with the dog.
“She had a bad odor coming from the mouth,” Helton said. “It was semipainful, and she refused to eat.”
Frannie was taken to the North Hills Animal Clinic in Sherwood for X-rays and treatment.
The X-rays revealed that the dog had been shot.
“We at that point had two choices: either operate or put the dog down,” Helton said.
Helton was especially torn about Frannie’s probable fate because removing the bullet would cost thousands of dollars the shelter didn’t have. But she had a great personality and was a popular breed. Frannie fell into the category of being highly adoptable.
“You have a lot of dogs here that aren’t nearly as adoptable,” Helton said. “Sometimes they aren’t very friendly or are a breed that isn’t as popular. Labradors are one of the most popular breeds of dogs.”
So how do you overcome a strapped animal-shelter budget with the immediate need to remove a bullet if you want to save a dog’s life?
In the case of this animal shelter, you start the Frannie Fund.
The shelter started a fundraiser to pay for the operation and made a public plea for donations.
Helton said shelter workers and volunteers were overwhelmed with public support.
“We needed $3,000 for the operation, but people just kept giving,” Helton said. “We now have $18,000.”
Frannie stayed at North Hills until Nov. 12, when she finally found a home with a family from Mayflower, Helton said.
Robin Breaux, director of Sherwood’s Department of Humane Animal Services, said Frannie kept her good personality even after her operation.
“Even with a bullet lodged in her jaw, Frannie’s tail was always wagging. The day we picked her up after her surgery, her tail was still wagging,” Breaux said. “Frannie’s unconditional love and courage throughout her horrible ordeal has lifted our spirits and given us hope.”
Breaux said the public plea was also made in the hope that someone might know who shot the dog. Helton said no one has an idea who shot Frannie.
Breaux and Helton said the proceeds above what was necessary to save Frannie’s life will be used to help other animals.
“[It] will continue to save many more homeless animals through the Sherwood Humane Animal Services’ Frannie Fund,” Breaux said.
Breaux said the Frannie Fund is already providing veterinary care for other homeless animals.
Breaux said the public is invited to attend Sherwood’s annual Christmas parade at 2 p.m. Dec. 2, where Frannie will be recognized.
“Frannie will help us honor God’s gift of life and unconditional love by serving as the city of Sherwood’s first Christmas parade pet marshal,” Breaux said.
Sherry Neighbors of Mayflower, who adopted Frannie with her husband, Clay, said they love Frannie with all their hearts.
“She’s not a dog,” Neighbors said. “She’s one of the family.”
Over the weekend, Frannie’s situation was quite different from what it was a month earlier. In mid-October, someone drove Frannie to the animal shelter with a bullet in her jaw. In mid-November, the Neighborses took Frannie on another kind of drive. Frannie joined the family on a vacation trip to Dallas and returned Sunday.
“It’s her first long trip with us,” Neighbors said.
