When a kind-hearted rescuer first came across Pumpkin, the bulldog puppy was in dire straits. Bald and freezing, she was balled up in the corner of an apartment complex shivering.
After wrapping her in a blanket, a rescuer took her straight to the vet.
It was unclear whether she would even survive the night.
First things first
With no time to worry about her chapped skin, the vets put IVs into her immediately to get her the hydration and nourishment she needed. She had been surviving by eating nothing but leaves.
Vets said she probably didn’t have a full day left to live had she not been rescued.
The dog had been abused and abandoned and – still a puppy – had clearly never been cared for.
Once she was released from the vet, it took her weeks to want to come out of her cage to interact in any way.
Luckily, like many dogs, she was food-driven. Anyone with snacks was at least someone she would come near for a moment.
After 4 weeks of regaining strength and making up for hungry days, Pumpkin was beginning to look more like a bulldog. Even her mange had cleared up and her fur was beginning to grow back.
A new lease on life
Living at the clinic, Pumpkin eventually learned that she could trust those around her and started to become playful.
That’s when she was flown from China to the U.S. in order to find her forever home.
And when a worker named Molly at Pumpkin’s new shelter heard her friend Jessica Kerrigan had just lost her dog, she recommended fostering Pumpkin to help heal the wound.
Home sweet home
When Kerrigan saw Pumpkin’s photo, she couldn’t resist. She was ready to take her in and see if she would get along with her other dog, Franklin.
The Kerrigans have a presidential thing going on with their dogs’ names, so Pumpkin was renamed “Kennedy.”
And it didn’t take long for Kennedy to warm up to her foster parents and sibling and start thriving in her new home.
It’s amazing to see how resilient this dog has been – she had a horrific start to life and still learned to love.
Presidential pups
Kennedy turned out to be a foster fail. The Kerrigans just couldn’t give her up after fostering her, so they ended up adopting the pup for good.
While Kerrigan’s bulldog George has passed on, Kennedy and Franklin are doing a good job earning followers on Instagram. And we’re not surprised since The Dodo’s video of the pup (which you can view below) has been viewed over 6 million times since May of 2020!
The account @franklin.george.kennedy.truman has over 13.4k followers and is growing every day.
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Of course, that’s partly because it’s so wonderful to see the formerly neglected bulldog thriving. It’s like she has no memory of her early days.
Happily ever after
Now Kennedy and Franklin have a new brother, Truman. And boy is he a cutie!
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The threesome enjoys going for walks with their parents’ two human children and spending time at the beach.
The family splits their time between Newport Beach and Washington D.C, where dad Ryan Kerrigan is a defensive end for the Washington Football Team.
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It’s a charmed life for everyone involved – and we couldn’t be happier for Kennedy, who has come such a long way.
Be sure to scroll down below to see Pumpkin’s transformation into the beautiful Kennedy.
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