A rescue dog called Nymeria has melted hearts all over the internet after a clip of her learning how to use the stairs, as she settles into her new forever home, went viral.
The video, shared on TikTok on Monday by the dog’s owner, under the username erdenweiner, shows the German shepherd’s journey into her new life, from her struggles to her successes, alongside her adoptive family, after she had been exposed to abuse.
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According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 3.1 million companion dogs enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year, and about 710,000 of them are returned to their owners.
Each year, around 2 million shelter dogs are adopted, and of those left in shelters, some 390,000 canines are euthanized.
The viral clip comes with a caption that explains: “Found a rescue dog on craigslist… She didn’t know how to walk up [the] stairs… She is 6 months old and had been kept in a cage… While being fed and let out once a day… Initially, we wanted to just meet her but had to keep her to help her… She was scared and didn’t go down the long stairs…
“She hasn’t made any sound or noise… her breeder had so many dogs that he would shush them all the time by intimidating them… She was always sleeping like this like she is in a tiny space… She followed us everywhere we went in the house… She started to get comfortable with the stairs… She came from a breeder but none wanted her… They said people usually want male, macho, and thought her sable fur wasn’t ideal…”
The owner added that Nymeria is a gentle, old soul with so much love for her new family, and even though she doesn’t really know how to play yet, she knows how to “keep our pack safe and loved.”
The video of the rescue dog quickly went viral on TikTok and has so far received more than 3.2 million views and 453,900 likes.
One user, Emily, commented: “Great job! I’ve fostered 37 dogs. Small tips for safety pls do not use a retractable leash, get a harness, & pls keep the kids out of face level.”
Christine Benner wrote: “Looks like a Czech German shepherd! They are very special. She’s got a lot of love to give.” And Debra L posted: “Her life is going to be so much better because of your family.”
Another TikToker, HatakeSakurashi, wrote: “She’s so cute!! So glad she has y’all now! In the future, get her a non-retractable leash, big dogs and retractable leashes do not generally go well.”
Alexandra Williams commented: “thank you for loving her so well.” And lanceschwab added: “Thank you for rescuing [her]. She will be the best doggo when she settles in.”
Newsweek reached out to erdenweiner for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.
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