A montage of videos showing a rescue husky hiding his food on many occasions has gone viral on TikTok.
His owner has explained she used to think it was cute until she discovered the real reason why Levi, the dog, tries to store away his meals.
The clip captioned: “My sweet Levi is always hiding his food, just in case there isn’t any tomorrow,” has racked up 123,900 views.
A female voice can be heard over the clip shared to @levithehuskyrescue, she says: “I learned that some dogs especially those who experienced starvation in their past try to ration their meals because they don’t know if or when the next one will be.
“I hate thinking about what Levi’s life was like before I rescued him but it’s moments like this that I’m reminded that someone out there was evil to the thing, I love most in this world. And while I’ll never be able to undo the damage they caused. I can give him all the love he deserves now.”
So far, the video, which was shared on January 4, has amassed 13,200 likes. The popular video has also received over 250 comments.
“Mine did this, it broke my heart. It took a month but luckily she stopped,” said one comment.
Another user wrote: “My adopted sweet sweet doggie shows sings of abuse.. every time I see her scared for random thinks it breaks my heart.”
The owner replied: “when they flinch at it’s the worst.”
Indeed, dogs can suffer from psychological conditions, according to Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine, up to 17 percent are affected with canine post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
iStock / Getty Images Plus/Andrii Zorii
Dr. Lori Teller, an associate professor at the college, highlighted the symptoms that include chronic anxiety; hypervigilance; avoidance of certain people, places, or situations; sleep disturbances; fear of being alone; decreased interest in a favorite activity; or aggression.
Teller said: “We don’t always know what may cause PTSD in dogs, but some potential causes are military or police work, being a bait or fighting dog, being raised in a puppy mill, severe abuse, living as a stray after being abandoned, trauma from a disaster (flood, fire, earthquake, tornado, explosion), or being attacked by other dogs or animals.”
Teller encourages owners to manage PTSD in dogs by combining behavioral therapy and medication.
Teller said: “Behavioral management might include desensitization therapy, in which a dog is exposed to low levels of stress, and then this level is gradually increased to build tolerance for that stimulus, playtime with a well-socialized dog, increased exercise, and mental stimulation. Medications prescribed could include anxiolytics, anti-depressants, or beta-blockers.”
You can watch the original video, click here.
Newsweek reached out to @levithehuskyrescue for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.