An inspirational dog in Oregon is winning the battle of the bulge while his owner is winning the battle of his custody.
Obie, a daschund, owes all his weight-loss success to his foster mom, Nora Vanatta, who has just won a court battle to keep him in her care.
When Vanatta began caring for him, Obie weighed a whopping 77 pounds, three times what a normal daschund should weigh.
After starting a rigorous diet plan, detailed in a Facebook page dedicated to Obie's weight-loss battle, donations to help with his medical bills began to arrive.
This fanfare caught the attention the Oregon Daschund Rescue Group, who sued Vanetta for exploiting Obie.
Vanatta said she didn't know she was adopting a famous dog, and after a court settlement has allowed her to keep her pudgy pet, she is relieved she and Obie can finally move on.
"It was just imperative that I fought for him. I think when they brought the lawsuit against me they thought I would just hand him over," the proud pet owner said.
Vanatta said she does not think Obie would have lived much longer had they not begun the diet plan. She said that Obie is happy now and people can tell he is doing well.
The now-49-pound Obie still has 10 more pounds to go before he reaches his weight goal.
Vanatta said she hopes to give Obie skin reduction surgery in the near future to make it easier for him to exercise.
Thursday, May 23 2013 6:44 PM EDT2013-05-23 22:44:23 GMT
In one of their most dramatic choices in a century, local leaders of the Boy Scouts of America vote to ease a divisive ban and allow openly gay boys to be accepted into the nation's leading youth organization.
In one of their most dramatic choices in a century, local leaders of the Boy Scouts of America vote to ease a divisive ban and allow openly gay boys to be accepted into the nation's leading youth organization.
Thursday, May 23 2013 7:25 PM EDT2013-05-23 23:25:16 GMT
The Philadelphia Parking Authority gets caught on tape breaking the rules, or so it appears. The PPA responds to a video that has gone viral in Philly.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority gets caught on tape breaking the rules, or so it appears. The PPA responds to a video that has gone viral in Philly.
Thursday, May 23 2013 6:49 PM EDT2013-05-23 22:49:28 GMT
Your Friday will feature steadier showers and thunderstorms early giving way to scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the day. We reach an early High of 64, followed by falling temperatures. Winds pick up out of the NW 10 to 15 mph. Right now the Memorial Day Weekend looks cool with highs in the low to mid 60s.
Thursday, May 23 2013 5:03 PM EDT2013-05-23 21:03:32 GMT
Investigators allege that bars and restaurants in New Jersey disguised cheap booze, or worse, as the expensive stuff and made you pay the higher price.
Investigators allege that bars and restaurants in New Jersey disguised cheap booze, or worse, as the expensive stuff and made you pay the higher price.
Thursday, May 23 2013 3:32 PM EDT2013-05-23 19:32:02 GMT
A college student from Pennsylvania who went missing last week on his drive home from a New England college has been "located unharmed," almost a week after he disappeared, authorities say.
A college student from Pennsylvania who went missing last week on his drive home from a New England college has been "located unharmed," almost a week after he disappeared, authorities say.
