50th & France Bakery Crafting Cupcakes for Injured Pit Bull

When Robin Johnson first heard about the plight of Franco the pit bull, she knew she had to get involved.

Johnson, who owns and operates 50th & France's Sweet Retreat Cupcake Boutique, said she saw footage of the injured dog on KARE 11 and "it just broke [her] heart."

The 1.5-year-old pocket pit bull—a cross between a Patterdale Terrier and an American Pit Bull Terrier—was found being kicked by a group of unidentified teens in a Blaine convenience store parking lot by a female employee of the store. The woman called police and brought Franco to a nearby veterinarian for medical attention.

"It just made me so mad," Johnson said. "I wanted to do something to help the dog and hopefully bring those kids to justice."

Rather than sit idly by, Johnson decided to host a fundraiser this Friday, Mar. 29, at her bakery. Sweet Retreat will be selling their popular Choczilla cupcakes—chocolate cake packed with chocolate chips, topped with vanilla buttercream frosting—emblazoned with Franco's adorable face for $3.25 each, with $1.50 going to Edina-based Secondhand Hounds to help pay the pit bull's veterinary bills.

"Helping out with something like this gives me a deeper purpose, I guess," Johnson said. "What's important to me are children and animals. Our moose fundraiser last month was really successful and this just tugged at my heartstrings. I thought, 'Why not do this again?'"

Customers can pre-order the special cupcakes ahead of time or simply swing by the bakery Friday to pick some up.

In addition for helping to raise money to pay Franco's bills, Johnson has taken things a step further and filed an adoption application for the young pup. A self-described "animal lover," Johnson currently has three dogs and two cats.

"We'll see what happens," she said. "I'm not sure how many applications they already have for him, but I would love to give him a good home."

The online fundraising account for Secondhand Hounds has already raised more than $6,000 to help cover Franco's surgery, x-rays, antibiotics and IV fluids. 

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