The workers at a remote gas station in rural Brazil were shocked to find a sweet puppy mercilessly abandoned by a passerby.
Slowly, the pup adjusted to life as a homeless dog. He was named Bolinha by the workers, who fed him leftover scraps from a nearby restaurant.
The unhealthy eating took a toll on the 9-year-old dog and he gradually became obese. His weight gradually increased to such dangerous levels that he became morbidly obese, weighing more than 80 pounds.
At this point, many locals came in to watch the “fat dog”, but no one cared to get him help.
Bolinha was nothing more than a “amusement” for the locals to gawk at and photograph. He was treated as a “local attraction,” but the poor boy desperately needed love.
One day, the heartbroken dog crawled up to a junkyard and stopped moving altogether. When some animal activists from a nearby town heard about him, they decided to step in.
The activists found Bolinha breathing heavily in a ballooned-up state amidst a pile of debris. They cleaned him up and took him to the Animal Protection Organization. The vet at the shelter and many volunteers got together to devise a plan for Bolinha’s weight loss.
Thankfully, Bolinha’s obesity was solely due to overeating. The volunteers started the dog on an exercise regimen and a strict diet. Bolinha was also instructed to use a water treadmill to alleviate joint pain.
After months of effort, Bolinha has lost a whopping 30 pounds. He still needs to lose some weight, but he is now a happy, cuddly dog who always smiles. One of the activists who rescued him will adopt him.
Bolinha’s weight loss battle and stunning transformation is inspiring people around the world. We hope he spends his golden years in peace. We are extremely proud of you!
Please ‘SHARE’ to pass on this story to a friend or family member
