Watch Moment Rescue Dog Realizes He's Safe With Foster Carer: 'Crying'

A foster carer has shared heartwarming footage of the moment the rescue dog she is looking after realized he was safe.

Foster carers play an important role in not only helping rescue dogs prepare for life in a new forever home but also providing a much-needed boost to their mental state.

In 2018, a study published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science highlighted how just 15 minutes of petting affected a positive change in the well-being of shelter dogs.

Researchers fitted 55 shelter dogs with cardiac monitors as part of the experiment. They were then led into small rooms where a volunteer petted them while speaking in a soothing tone of voice.

They found that the heart rates of the dogs involved had lowered by the end of the session while there was also increased heart rate variability, indicating the canines involved had become more relaxed.

If that's what 15 minutes of interaction can do, you can only imagine the impact a foster carer can have on a dog's well-being.

Isabel Klee doesn't need to imagine it though. She's been working with dogs for the past seven-and-a-half years through a mix of jobs and currently fosters canines out in Brooklyn where she lives with her special needs rescue dog Simon.

"Rescue is my passion and I'm lucky to have a job that allows me to revolve my life around helping dogs who need it the most. My dog Simon was a foster who I adopted.I took a break [from fostering] while we were dealing with his health problems but we've recently started fostering again and Simon is the best foster brother ever. "

Their most recent addition has been Lucchese, or Luc, who came to them from a rescue shelter in Texas. "I don't know much about his back story, but he's a perfect dog. He's incredibly sweet, polite, and affectionate," Klee said.

"Luc loves to perch on the top of a pillow and nap for most of the day. He also enjoys doing his zoomies in our backyard after a long walk!"

Every rescue dog is different and some come with more baggage from their previous owner than others. It can take time for these canines to feel happy and safe in their new surroundings.

But, in the case of Luc, it didn't take that long at all. "Honestly, he felt safe pretty quickly," Klee said. "He loves people and just wants love and affection, so it didn't take long for him to start cuddling up against us."

Klee shared heartwarming footage to TikTok of the moment Luc first began cuddling up to her partner. Posted under the handle simonsits, the clip shows Luc going in for a snuggle, safe and content with his foster carers.

"When your foster dog feels safe with you," the caption reads. In the clip, Klee's partner can be seen petting Luc who appears to be enjoying a blissful doze. "Screaming, crying, throwing up," Klee writes alongside the video, which has been viewed over 2 million times.

Though Luc was quick to cuddle up to his human companions, Klee said, "It took him a little longer to warm up to our dog Simon, but now they play and nap together."

The good news is that Luc is already well on his way to finding a new home. "Luc has an adoption meeting this week with a very lucky person," Klee said. "He had a ton of applications so I don't imagine he'll be here with us for too much longer."

If Luc does find a new family, Klee will have played an important role in helping him get there. It's a role she would encourage others to take up, describing it as "the most rewarding experience for a dog lover."

"It's not just about taking care of a cute dog, it's about creating a space for them to heal," she explained. "It's a foster's job to set each dog up for the rest of their life, and help them find the perfect family for them. I can't think of anything more important than that."

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.