A video of a dog being reunited with his owner after being in quarantine in Australia has gone viral on TikTok, with over 400,000 views at the time of writing.
The video was shared by TikToker @ameliacourtneysmith with a caption that said: “8 long months without my boy, finally reunited.”
The clip showed a woman walking into a building to greet a French Bulldog that was released from a dog carrier. The pup was seen shuffling between the woman and a person holding the camera, as the woman kept trying to get the dog’s attention.
In a later comment, the poster said: “He was only in quarantine for 10 days, the other 7 months he was in the UK with my family who love him like I do.”
iStock / Getty Images Plus
The dog had to enter quarantine after moving from the U.K. to Australia to fulfill the country’s quarantine requirements for dogs.
According to the Australian government website, the required post-entry quarantine period for dogs depends on the country from where the pet is traveling and other requirements.
The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) says bringing your pet to a foreign country can be “complex and time-consuming” and advises confirming the following before beginning the process:
- The type of animal traveling to verify whether it’s qualified to travel (as not all animals qualify as pets).
- The destination country.
- The date of departure.
- Whether the pet will be traveling alone, as cargo, or with a person in the cabin of the plane.
The APHIS said: “Your destination country sets requirements for pets entering the country, which can change at any time. Most countries require pets to arrive with a health certificate (also called an international health certificate, a veterinary health certificate, a veterinary certificate, or an export certificate). You must verify the country requirements each time you plan to travel with your pet.
“Airlines and shipping lines establish their own policies to transport pets in addition to the requirements of the federal, state, and local governments,” the APHIS added.
When the French Bulldog in the latest viral video first stepped out of the dog carrier, he appeared to be a bit hesitant to walk into the arms of the woman in the video. But after a few more caresses from the woman, he seemed to be more receptive, running back and forth between her and the person holding the camera.
The latest video has delighted users on TikTok, with several touched by the reunion.
User ceri11111 wrote “Very sweet,” while userym12 said “Well that’s me crying …. Againnnnn.”
Kath Scatchard said: “It’s a beautiful reunion…you can see how much you love each other.”
Others said they couldn’t bear to be separated from their pets for months.
User 7262538262 asked: “love this but why would you abandon your dog for so many months? I would never do that.”
User asid1937 said “everytime is see someone flying with a dog I think about how selfish it is to put a dog through that.”
The original poster replied: “What’s the alternative? So rehoming him is better? No. He now has an unbelievable life in Australia at the beach, instead of freezing cold England.”
User Molly100″” wrote: “7 months is just a long time out of their little lives and ours.”
Irishderry said: “Am sorry no couldn’t do it.”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster via TikTok for comment. This video has not been independently verified.
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.