During a recent beach trip in Tampa, Florida, one woman was left in tears after a heartbreaking encounter with an elderly dog.
Jaysa Vega visited Davis Island Beach—a popular spot known for being pet-friendly—and was filming the sunset and the crabs digging in the sand when an older dog approached her and her friend. The friendly dog, identified by the poster as Frank, seemed to be seeking companionship, sitting right next to the women and enjoying their affectionate pets.
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"We were both surprised at first when Frank came up to us, as we didn't know if he'd be friendly or not, but he sat down right next to us and we started petting him," Vega told Newsweek. But the joy of meeting Frank was quickly overshadowed by sadness when his owner revealed that Frank had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
"It was so upsetting to us that this sweet dog's life was going to be over soon, and the owner seemed so loving towards him that it made us even sadder," Vega said. "My heart aches whenever I hear of bad news about animals, as I've had some experiences of my own, but we wanted to be some sort of comfort for this lady and her pooch."
As they sat on the serene beach, other families were taking graduation pictures, celebrating engagements and enjoying family time. All of this contrasted sharply with the sorrow of Frank the dog and his family.
"I think it's a testament to life, and how you never know what's going on in someone else's world," Vega said. She later revealed that she and her friend later left the beach "crying" after the encounter, thinking of Frank and his family.
After capturing the moment on camera, she decided to share the video on TikTok where the video has been viewed 5.7 million times.
"I shared the video to bring awareness to the fact that we need to be nicer humans, and gentler towards one another," she said. "We don't know when certain days will be our last, or that of our loved ones, and it's important to spread kindness each and every day."
The now viral video prompted plenty of heartwarming comments from people who were saddened by Frank's news.
"That lady needed a little extra love, and I wished I could've given her more comfort," Vega explained. "But if she sees that video, I hope some of the comments from complete strangers can give her some solace and peace in knowing she's not alone in this time of grief."
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.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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