When Minni the labrador was adopted into a new home, just days before she was due to be put down, she weighed more than nine-and-a-half stone.
The six-year-old yellow Labrador was grossly overweight after previous owners allowed her to balloon.
They wanted to re-home Minni but feared nobody would actually want her because of her weight.
Now Minni has bounced back, lost two stone and has been chosen as the "face" of a task force to tackle pet obesity.
New owner Gary Bristow, 43, from Cheshire, felt desperately sorry for her and adopted her from a rescue centre, putting her on a strict diet and exercise regime five months ago and taking her for weigh-ins.
After her weight loss: Minni has shed two stone in weight
Although her ideal weight is around five stone, Minni already looks much healthier - and happier.
Minni, then known as May, was spotted when the owners put their other dog forward for re-homing.
But it took three people to load her into the car and during the four-hour car journey to the rescue centre, Minni became wedged between the front and back seats.
After a major effort to remove Minni she finally came free, with tail still wagging, just as the local fire brigade were being called.
Before: Minni weighed nearly 10 stone
Mr Bristow, wife Fran, and his daughters Katie, 14, and Nikki, 12, take Minni, and their three other dogs Bonnie, Lucky and Boo, for long walks each day.
He said: "We knew that it would be a challenge to take on such an obese dog, but I'm absolutely delighted with Minni's weight loss.
"When we first got her she wasn't able to exercise as much as she should so it is thanks to the diet the vet put her on that Minni was able to climb the stairs for the first time this week - something she wouldn't have even been able to do a couple of months ago.
"It's been hard work and we've still got a way to go, but she's worth it.
"She bounces now. She's acts like a dog should. And she's so friendly that when you take her on walks, she just wants to meet everybody.
"When we first got her she just flopped and lay flat on her stomach. She couldn't walk more than a few yards before panting out of breath.
But the uphill struggle and non-stop regime, apart from a special bone for Christmas, is now paying off.
Minni has been raising money for the Labrador Rescue (North West area) in a sponsored slim-a-thon - and has already netted them more than £2,000. She was also guest of honour at the European Pet Obesity Epidemic Conference, at the Wellcome Collection Conference Centre in London, where a task force was set up to tackle the problem of overweight animals.
The task force hopes to raise awareness of the growing health implications of obese and overweight pets, such as diabetes and osteoarthritis.
Mr Bristow added: "Minni was an extreme case but a lot of Labradors and other dogs can get overweight very easily."
Mark Evans, chief veterinary adviser at the RSPCA, who will be sitting on the board of the task force, said: "We've been trying to treat and prevent pet obesity for 20 years, but the problem hasn't gone away.
"In fact it seems to have got worse despite everyone's efforts. It's incredibly frustrating."
Source: Daily Mail UK, Feb. 28, 2008
Obese dog weighing more than 9 stone trims down 
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