Hearts have been melted by a viral video showing the moment a rescue dog stopped to take in his peaceful surroundings after being given a second chance at life.
After she rescued her dog, named Simon, five years ago, Isabel Klee captured the sweet moment he paused to enjoy the tranquil scenery and the delightful “ocean breeze.” His new life is worlds away from what it used to be like, and he couldn’t help but take a few minutes to sit and bask in the glory of it all.
Layered over the adorable footage, Klee, from Brooklyn, New York, wrote: “When you used to be a street dog and can’t believe this is your life now.” Since the clip was posted on Simon’s dedicated TikTok account (@simonsits) on March 4, it has already been viewed more than 312,500 times, as the sentimental moment left many social media users in tears.
Rescuing an animal of any kind, whether it’s a cat, dog, bird or even a snake, is a life-changing experience for both the pet and the owner. According to data from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), about 4.1 million animals are adopted from U.S. shelters every year, 2 million of which are dogs.
And while those animals have found their happily ever afters, there are still many more who are waiting to find their forever home, as the ASPCA estimates that about 6.3 million animals wind up in shelters annually.
With so many shelters struggling with overcrowding and lack of resources, it’s thought that about 920,000 animals have to be euthanized each year. The ASPCA noted that the number has dropped significantly in recent years, but it is still more than they would hope for.
Since she adopted Simon, Klee has loved documenting their life on social media and showing everyone how powerful the bond with a rescue pet can be. She often posts videos of him enjoying walks round Brooklyn, making friends with other dogs, and snuggling up to his favorite human.
They have become inseparable, and there’s no surprise Simon wanted to take a minute and relish his current life.
EcaterinaLeonte/Getty Images
The video of Simon taking in the peaceful surroundings certainly tugged at the heartstrings, and the viral post has already gained more than 700 comments on TikTok. Many social media users praised Klee for rescuing the pup, and there was a lot of support for the new life he gets to lead because of her.
One comment reads: “Thank you so much for saving his life. You are his and our hero.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “This little boy deserves every moment of happiness he can get on this earth.”
While another person responded: “I can feel how grateful he’s with his new life.”
Newsweek reached out to @simonsits via TikTok and email for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.