Rescue Dog Has Tear-Jerking Reaction as New Owner Returns After 6 Days Away

A social-media video has captured a rescue dog's heartfelt reaction to locking eyes with their owner after spending six days apart. It had been the longest time the pair had ever spent at such a distance since the pet was adopted by her owner four years ago.

The TikTok clip honed in on the touching reunion between the rescue dog, Maggie the Alaskan Malamute, and her owner, Dena. The short video has become a viral sensation after being shared online on May 8, amassing over 1 million views and more than 173,000 likes in just two days.

The clip, posted under the username @maggiemalamute, shows the affectionate Alaskan Malamute sitting in the passenger seat of her owner's car, a spot that she had never taken in the four years since her rescue, due to her usually timid nature.

Dena, a 44-year-old wife and mother, told Newsweek about the perilous condition that Maggie had been found in four years ago, and how she has adapted to her new life since.

"She was abandoned on a highway, and had been severely neglected and abused," Dena, who would prefer to keep her full identity private, said.

"She even had to have most of her hair shaven off because of the amount of neglect that her fur had endured. We took her in and started the healing of her trauma," Dena added. "Almost four years later, and she's quirky, funny and a love bug. Maggie went from triggers and trauma to pure love.

"We gave her a safe place to heal out loud and within her own time," Dena said.

The special occasion for Maggie's front-seat ride came after Dena and her daughter returned from a six-day trip to Walt Disney World Resort for The Summit Cheer Competition 2024 in Orlando, Florida. Upon their return, Maggie insisted on riding in the front seat, a behavior that Dena interpreted as being a sign of how much the dog missed her.

"That day, she wouldn't go in the back. She sat next to me the whole time," she said.

Of the 200 viewers that had voiced their opinions under the post, some had been left feeling moved by Maggie's story. Numerous TikTok users have expressed their empathy for the dog and admiration for her owner in the post's comments section.

"She's beautiful. I imagine it's upsetting being a dog and not knowing if your human is coming back. Never know what they've been through," one user wrote. Dena responded with a comment reinforcing the difficult past that Maggie had overcome, "she was neglected and abused before us and we rescued her."

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