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By Rachael O'Connor
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Hearts have melted at the bond between a three-legged dog and her best friend, who helped her find her love of fetch again.
Asia the chocolate Labrador retriever is 6 years old, and, earlier this year, lost a leg to cancer, after her dedicated owners spotted a "small lump" in her paw.
"Because we caught this so early, it meant we could save her life by amputating the leg as the cancer had not spread to the rest of her body," her owner Jared Power, from East Yorkshire in the U.K., told Newsweek.
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Now, happily, "the vets have declared her cancer-free," and Asia is slowly but surely getting to grips with life with three legs.
Five months after her surgery, Power said that Asia is "regaining her old life back," with the help of hydrotherapy to "strengthen her legs and build stamina."
Another big help has been her "best friend," Kiki—a 1-year-old chocolate Labrador who lives just around the corner with her owners Nathan and Nikki, and who became friends with Asia thanks to the power of TikTok.
After noticing each other on walks with each of their labs, Nathan and Nikki then spotted Asia on TikTok, and began messaging Power and his partner, Scott Oldridge, to organize a meetup.
"They instantly became best friends; in fact, they are like sisters.," Power said. "They look and act so much like each other, and Kiki has really looked after Asia and brought new life into her."
This bond was showcased in a video to Asia's account @asia.the.choccy on August 15, as the two dogs played fetch together in a park. But as the ball soared across the field, Asia quickly realized she couldn't keep up with Kiki, and simply stood back, watching her run for the ball.
But something amazing then happened, as Power described it in the video: "Her best friend could sense Asia was upset, so she stood by and cheered her on."
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This time, as the ball was flung across the field, Kiki didn't move—and Asia rushed toward the ball at her own pace. Kiki moved only once it was time to greet Asia on her return, the ball now successfully in her mouth.
"I'm not crying, you are," Power wrote over the video, and added in the caption: "Dogs really are something magical, and we don't deserve them.
"Kiki, her best friend, could see her struggling, so something special happened when she decided to cheer Asia on."
Power said: "Whenever they are together, they play so gently—I think that Kiki can sense that Asia is a little more fragile.
"People think dogs do not have emotions, but my video proves otherwise; you can see so much emotion conveyed in the clip! Kiki really wanted her best friend to feel happy."
TikTok users were in tears, watching the video more than 3 million times and awarding it more than 559,000 likes, as one commenter thanked Power: "I needed a happy cry."
"Jokes on you, I meant to cry at 8:47 a.m. on a Friday morning," another posted, while a third commented: Yes. I am in fact crying."
And as a fourth put it: "I was not emotionally prepared for this."
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Dogs can cope well on three legs, but it can take time to adapt. After amputation, owners should follow the vet's aftercare instructions carefully, and look into a slowly increasing exercise program to build strength in their remaining limbs, pet-food manufacturer Purina says.
Ensure the dogs' favorite places, such as the sofa or bed, are easily accessible via ramps or steps, and keep a close eye on their weight, as any gain could put a strain on their remaining limbs.
Allow plenty of time for rehabilitation and adjustment, and don't be afraid to seek more information from professionals if you have any concerns.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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