Key Takeaways
- Kelli Giddish’s dog Frannie Mae, a Black Mouth Cur, became a recurring on-screen companion for Sgt. Amanda Rollins on Law & Order: SVU after Giddish began bringing her to set during Season 14.
- Frannie appeared in several memorable scenes, including the Season 14 finale involving William Lewis, and became a familiar presence tied to Rollins’ personal life and home scenes.
- After Frannie’s death in 2025 following 15 years with Giddish, the actress honored her memory through heartfelt tributes and keepsakes, including preserving Frannie’s favorite stick in her Brooklyn home.
For several years on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the elite squad had some four-legged backup with Kelli Giddish’s dog, Frannie.
Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to head to work with their favorite furry companion? While Giddish has kicked criminal butt on Law & Order: SVU as Sgt. Amanda Rollins for many years, every now and then, she would also get the chance to star alongside her own adorable pup, a Black Mouth Cur named Frannie Mae.
Giddish’s late dog Frannie appeared alongside her several times on screen, hanging out in Rollins’ apartment and popping up during some of the detective’s bigger personal moments. Frannie might not have carried a badge, but she knew the ins and outs of that precinct as well as Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and the rest of the elite squad.
The love Giddish had for Frannie was echoed on-screen by Rollins, who spoiled her pup anytime she had the chance. For SVU fans, Frannie became a familiar mascot, which is why we’re looking back on the unofficial squad member.
Kelli Giddish’s dog Frannie guest starred on Law & Order: SVU
Kelli Giddish as Detective Amanda Rollins and her dog Frannie during Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 20 Episode 4.Photo: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
Thanks to Giddish’s close-knit bond with her pup, there was no complicated casting process behind Rollins’ dog. Giddish began bringing Frannie to set in Season 14, and production would later include her in scenes on SVU when the opportunity arose. The show didn’t even give her a different name; it was just Frannie.
“It’s just really cool to to be able to have her in it,” Giddish said in a 2013 interview after Frannie’s SVU debut. “All the casting crew know her very well, all 200 of us here.”
The Black Mouth Cur made several appearances on SVU. For example, Rollins stumbles across the serial predator William Lewis (Pablo Schreiber) in the Season 14 finale (“Her Negotiation”) while walking her dog Frannie in the park. Frannie witnessed the impromptu arrest, which set off a mind-boggling chain of events and a gripping multi-episode arc.
Rollins wasn’t bringing Frannie to the precinct on the regular, but she was never far. Frannie was already Giddish’s companion; the show just found ways to work her naturally into Rollins’ family life.
Kelli Giddish as Detective Amanda Rollins and her dog Frannie during Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 23.Photo: Michael Greenberg/NBC
In 2012, the official Law & Order Facebook shared a sweet photo of Giddish and her dog hanging out behind the scenes of the NBC nail-biter. “Puppy love! Kelli Giddish gets a visit from her dog Frannie on the set of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” the post was captioned.