A video capturing a heartbreaking “special” moment just minutes before a dog passes away has left the internet in tears.
The moment was captured in a video posted by @alexsandu989 and has amassed 8.4 million views since it was shared on September 26.
The footage shows a golden retriever laying on a floor next to a woman in a living room setting. A note overlaid on the video clip says: “Rocky hadn’t barked in MONTHS, yet moments before he crossed the rainbow bridge, he gave us the most special goodbye.”
The dog is seen struggling to get on his feet to receive a treat from a person at the other end of the room. He is later shown back on the floor, letting out a few barks before the clip ends.
In a later comment, the poster explained: “It truly was crazy, he did it [barked] exactly 5 minutes before the vet came after almost 10 months of no barking.”
A caption shared with the post says: “I will remember this moment forever. miss you so much my little Rocky.”
The viral post comes as a study of 29,865 dogs, published in May 2021 in Scientific Reports, found that among the confirmed dog deaths, 89.3 percent were euthanized, while 8.3 percent were unassisted.
The conditions with the greatest odds for resulting in euthanasia included poor quality of life, undesirable behavior and spinal cord disorder. Breed, larger bodyweight and increasing age were also found to be additional risk factors for euthanasia, according to the study.
The ‘Surge’ Before Death
“We frequently see animals who have an energy surge, also known as ‘bloom’ or ‘rally’ before passing,” veterinarian Dr. Elizabeth Benson told Newsweek. “This happens regularly in humans and animals and is a normal part of the dying process.”
Benson, who is the CEO and founder of Paws into Grace, a Southern California-based company that specializes in pet end-of-life care, added: “Many times, we have pet parents who cancel their euthanasia appointment because they think the pet is recovering one day, only to later have a emergency situation where the pet is suffering and actively dying in their presence, unassisted by a veterinarian.
“As hard as it is to make the decision to euthanize a pet during this time, we encourage owners to let their pets be at peace while they are having a good day in order to minimize suffering and avoid an emergency.”
The moving moment in the viral video has broken the hearts of viewers on TikTok.
AliceMckenzie wrote: “He was saying thank you, I love you, and goodbye.”
“He knew he only had a few barks left in him and he waited for the perfect moment to spend them wisely,” noted bellayu.
User @m. 2549 said: “seeing the surge in pets just breaks my heart bro.”
User @nicoleclifford06 wrote: “The surge is what really sent me over the edge because for a minute you get a glimpse of when it was all okay.”
User willow yerden noted: “the first time I ever saw the surge in pets made me realize true pain for the first time. made me realize I can’t control death. it broke everything inside me not being able to stop it…”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
A stock image of a senior golden retriever laying on a floor. A video of a golden retriever’s heartbreaking final bark minutes before his death has gone viral on TikTok.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
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