11 hours ago
Tears at Dog's Face As He Realizes He's Going Back To Shelter After Day Out
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A North Carolina shelter dog's return after a day out with volunteers has broken the hearts of viewers on TikTok.
For a few sweet hours the pup, named Woody, was no longer just another overlooked shelter dog. In a video posted to TikTok by @pawprintswithpurpose, the longtime resident of Catawba County Animal Services in Newton, North Carolina was filmed enjoying a rare break from kennel life—including a trip into town that has since drawn thousands of hearts and tears from viewers across the platform.
The video from June 20, which had been viewed over 12,000 times at the time of writing, showed Woody smile in the back seat of a car, share gentle moments with children, and devour a whipped cream-topped pup cup.
Yet, the clip ends on a somber note, with Woody's evident sadness as he returns to the shelter.
The social media post was captioned with a heartfelt plea for adoption. "Woody's been waiting…And waiting…" it read, beneath a broken heart emoji. "He's one of our long term residents at Catawba County Animal Services.
"Behind the kennel door is a good boy full of love, just struggling with the stress of shelter life."
The short video starts with an overlaid text: "Remember Woody? We decided to break him out for the day…"
It goes on to show the dog reacting to the simple joys of a car ride, even as it notes he is "a little unsure" at first. He is later seen enjoying treats and making friends on his walk.
One frame simply read: "Loves everyone."
As the day winded down, the tone of the video shifted. "Woody got sad on the way back," the overlay read: "How has he not found a home?"
TikTok users flooded the comments with reactions ranging from heartbreak to frustration. Several viewers have applauded the video's creators for giving Woody at least one day away from the confines of his kennel.
"Heart chain," one viewer said, while another added: "Please consider adopting this sweet baby!"
The video concludes with a call to action: "Come meet him. One walk could change his life."
As of the last update, Woody remains available for adoption.
Newsweek reached out to @pawprintswithpurpose for more information via TikTok.
A shelter dog peers out through the bars of a kennel.
A shelter dog peers out through the bars of a kennel.
Getty Images
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