Heartwarming Moment Boy Reassures Abused Rescue Dog That He's Now Loved
A mom recorded the heart warming moment her son reassures their new rescue dog that he's safe now in his forever home.
The family, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, saw that their local rescue center was allowing people to adopt dogs for just $15, as they tried to encourage more families to adopt shelter dogs.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that around 6.3 million companion animals go into shelters around the country every year. Of the 3.1 million dogs that end up in rescue centers each year, around 2 million get adopted.
There are still many animals that have yet to find their forever homes, which is why the_crazyzoo adopted Neil the pit bull from Companion Animal Alliance.
After sharing a video on TikTok on March 9, the_crazyzoo showed her son gently reassuring their rescue pit bull, Neil, how much he is loved and that he's safe now.
The mom, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that her 7-year-old son was desperate for a dog and he even saved up the $15 out of his own pocket money.
The viral video on TikTok explained that Neil was "seized from his owners because of abuse," and he was covered in cigarette burns. Once Neil met his new family, they said he was "so well behaved" and they instantly "fell in love" with him, so they brought him home.
Neil was adopted at the start of 2022, but it can often take months or even years for a rescue animal to finally feel comfortable in their new home.
"My son wanted to reassure him that he would be loved and kept safe, and it melts my heart," @the_crazyzoo wrote on TikTok.
TikTok user @the_crazyzoo spoke to Newsweek about the bond her son shares with Neil.
"We previously had two other dogs, and my son really wanted one of his own," she said. "He paid for Neil with his own money that he earned.
"Neil is settling in great and is part of the family. My son always reminds us that Neil is his dog and he takes care of him."
Since the video was posted on TikTok, it has already amassed over 1.6 million views and 312,000 likes. Thousands of people loved seeing how happy the pair are with each other.
After the video gained so much unexpected reaction, @the_crazyzoo said: "TikTok has been amazing, everyone has been so kind with their love towards my son and Neil. I couldn't thank everyone enough for all the kind words."
Among the 5,000 comments on the video, one person wrote: "Can you believe that you're going to have years of happiness for what people pay for a Starbucks? Thank you so much for rescuing."
Many people also pointed out Neil's gentle wag of the tail during the video, as one person commented: "The tail wag when your son put his hand on him! He knows he's safe and loved to the fullest."
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