A woman has gone viral after explaining how grieving the loss of her soul dog helped her find her service dog, all thanks to the butterfly effect.
In July 2023, after 13 beautiful years together, Jayden Boyle sadly lost her chocolate Labrador named Jackson. He was her soul dog who had been by her side through so much, and by her own admission, she “didn’t cope well” with the grief.
Boyle, 22, of Toronto, Canada, told Newsweek that it was “like losing a sibling” and she cried constantly. Everything felt like a reminder of her four-legged best friend, yet she couldn’t bring herself to move any of his toys or his bowls.
“His toys would make me cry, but they reminded me that he was real, and I wasn’t crying for no reason. I was mourning the loss of my family member,” Boyle said.
Jayden Boyle with her soul dog, Jackson, a chocolate Labrador.
@thevelcrolab / Instagram
For months, Boyle kept Jackson’s belongings exactly where he’d left them. When cleaning, she’d lift them up and place them back exactly in their spot.
At the time, the thought of getting another dog seemed impossible. Seeing other dogs left her in tears and she vowed to never get another dog after losing Jackson.
“Jackson was a regular pet, but I believe he picked up on a lot of my problems. When trying to sleep, he would lay down on my legs to help me relax, and if I was sick, he would curl up in the bathroom with me. He might’ve been a pet, but he saved my life multiple times,” Boyle said.
Around six months later, Boyle’s sister sent her a photo of a Labrador named Sadie who needed a home. There was no denying how sweet she looked, but Boyle wasn’t ready to open her heart again.
She told her sister she didn’t need another dog—but then came countless signs that suggested otherwise.
Boyle met several other dogs called Sadie, despite never meeting one before. Then, she saw a sunset every night of the week, which she’s always believed was Jackson’s “way of saying hi.” Not to mention, when people told her about Sadie, her personality sounded so similar to Jackson.
She couldn’t deny the signs, and in January 2024, she decided to give Sadie the home she deserved.
“With the grief, she’s helped me process so much change. I know she will pass one day, but it gives me a lot of comfort to know that Jackson and Sadie will send me another dog when I’m ready. She will let me talk about Jackson and the positive memories of him. Her eyes are so expressive and she’s really the best listener,” Boyle told Newsweek.
Sadie began using Jackson’s old bowls, but Boyle didn’t feel angry or resentful, instead, she felt calm and content. The bowls reminded her of the joy of having a dog, not the grief of losing them.
Boyle thinks this was part of “the butterfly effect,” which is the theory that a small change in one condition can create a big difference in the eventual outcome. In her view, the fact that she kept Jackson’s bowls is significant because there “must have been a reason” for doing that.
Jackson the chocolate Labrador, and service dog Sadie the Labrador.
@thevelcrolab / Instagram
Sadie has now become her service dog, helping her with panic and anxiety attacks, bringing her migraine medication before one occurs, and collecting Boyle’s personal items if she leaves them lying around in public.
Boyle has documented her life with Sadie on Instagram (@thevelcrolab), with a post discussing the impact of the butterfly effect generating over 2.2 million views and 68,300 likes on Instagram at the time of writing.
She’s been blown away by the response, as she never imagined the post would go viral. The reaction has been overwhelmingly supportive, and Boyle has connected with other owners who could relate to losing a soul dog.
“I’ve never felt like so many people could relate to me at once,” Boyle continued. “I’ve spoken to people from every step of the process, from those who just had to put down their beloved pet, to people who got their next animal. Everyone has just reminded me that human beings care, we all just want to connect.”
The viral Instagram video has gained over 100 comments, as one person responded: “Not moving bowls was the best decision of my life.”
Another Instagram user wrote: “This story brought tears to my eyes. I believe so deeply that Jackson sent you this angel.”
While another comment reads: “this is the most magical story ever and I love it.”
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