He warned her not to get 'attached' to their foster puppy — then he broke his own rule

In a TikTok video shared by Abbey und Rosa (@abbey.und.rosa), a woman captured the exact moment her boyfriend stopped pretending he wasn’t in love with the dog he said they were only fostering. Lucas had told his partner, Michelle Hoffman, not to get too attached to the puppy. But it was Lucas who first brought Rosa into their bed, carried her everywhere, and eventually turned their short-term rescue into something permanent. Michelle and Lucas live in Cologne, Germany, and hadn’t planned on fostering another French Bulldog. Lucas already had one — Abbey, whom he had rescued years ago from a breeder after seeing her suffer repeated infections and painful injections.

"He couldn’t bear to watch her getting painful antibiotic injections again and again. So, despite everything, he bought her. He knew that if he didn’t, she might not survive," Hoffman told Newsweek. Abbey’s early life came with serious health issues, but after years of care and $23,000 in vet bills, she recovered. "She’s now eight years old and healthy. That’s also why we wanted to help Rosa. When we saw her, we just knew – she deserves a chance too. A safe home, proper care, and love – everything every dog should have," Hoffman said. Rosa arrived with obvious signs of neglect, struggling to breathe, clearly under-socialized, and hadn't received the attention she needed. 

Hoffman said they decided to foster her despite their initial hesitation. "We immediately felt for her. It was clear she hadn’t received the care and attention she needed. She was also struggling to breathe, which really moved us," she said. They made their home as welcoming as possible. "We even removed the door from our pantry to create a cozy little space just for Rosa – a quiet retreat where she can feel safe and comfortable," Hoffman said. Lucas, meanwhile, kept reminding Hoffman not to become too emotionally "attached." But it didn’t take long before the roles reversed. "I started to notice that Lucas was the one getting truly attached when he brought her into our bed for the first time," she said. From that moment, Rosa became part of every outing, restaurant visits, walks, and day trips.

"It was such a beautiful contradiction that showed how quickly animals can steal our hearts, even when we try to keep some distance," she said. They ended up adopting her. "She's staying with us for good," she said. While Rosa’s story ends in joy, Hoffman hopes it also serves as a reminder. She knows many animals never make it out of the shelter system, something backed by studies. As per a 2024 SAC report, about 82,000 fewer dogs and cats were adopted in 2024 compared to last year. "We hope people feel the love and warmth that can come from caring for an animal," she said.

Viewers were touched by the bond and shared their reactions in the comments. @linsfoster45 wrote, "He told you not to get too attached, but he’s fallen hook, line, and sinker." @dawn.shields0 commented, "How can you not fall for a cute little Frenchie? Best little breed ever." @lucycowellhi said, "So happy you kept her. She really couldn’t have gone anywhere else." @arfadaphnepugs added, "I’m going to break this to you gently... you’re now the other woman."

You can follow Abbey und Rosa (@abbey.und.rosa) on TikTok for more of their daily life content.