An adorable video filmed in China has shown a young girl protecting the ears of a dog from firecrackers being set off nearby.
The video, which was originally posted to the Chinese social network site Weibo, has garnered tens of thousands of views and re-shares online.
The video was taken in Gao'an, Jiangxi province, on January 31—just ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations taking place in China.
It shows a young girl dressed in pink stood on a street corner next to a small dog which she pats on the head.
Off-screen, explosions from fireworks or firecrackers can be heard, prompting the young girl to cradle the dog's ears with her hands, seemingly to prevent it from being startled or scared by the loud noises.
The young girl looks towards the sound of the explosions as they continue. Once they stop, she lifts her hands off the dog's ears and goes back to petting him.
According to Newsflare, the girl's mother, Ms Want, said she would cover her daughter's ears every time fireworks were set off nearby, soothing her and telling her there was nothing to be afraid of.
While the video has garnered much attention for how concerned the young girl appears to be for the dog, her actions may have genuinely helped the animal too.
Loud explosions like those caused by fireworks can cause anxiety or fear in animals including dogs, and can trigger panic reflexes in some dogs, causing them to run away, while others are less impacted by the noises.
Advice issued by the ASPCA regarding Fourth of July celebrations in the United States recommends turning on soft music or moving pets inside with windows closed in order to prevent them from being startled by fireworks.
In traditional Chinese culture, firecrackers were used to scare off evil spirits, and they remain popular in the country today.
Fireworks and firecrackers were first developed in China, where they are thought to have been discovered accidentally when bamboo shoots exploded after being thrown on fires. Between 600-800 C.E., alchemists working in China used various ingredients like Sulphur and Potassium to create gunpowder which is still used in some fireworks today.
