Adopted dog sees moving boxes in her new home and panics — her reaction reveals painful chapter from her past

Moving houses can be stressful for pet dogs as it hinders their familiar environment and daily routines. The sudden change can trigger feelings of discomfort and fear. One pet owner noticed her adopted dog’s reaction to moving boxes, which became a window to the poor pal’s heartbreaking past. TikTok creator @ninetoemo posted a tear-jerker of a video of her pet dog as she packed up her home into boxes before moving to a different house. Her pup, Izzy, touched the hearts of millions with her innocence and an outpouring of love and encouragement from kind strangers sharing heartfelt insights. 

The clip, viewed 2 million times, showcased Izzy huddled up in a cardboard box while staring at her owner with nervous eyes. It revealed how affected the pup still was from being abandoned by her last family, which landed her in an animal shelter. “The last time her family moved, they gave her up to a shelter. A few days later, I adopted her,” an overlay note shared. Following her adoption, the new owner was able to provide Izzy with a new and safe home. However, even after all this time together, the dog was not able to relinquish her fear of abandonment. 

As the pet owner packed her house into moving boxes before they headed to a different place, Izzy hopped into one of them, as if the boxes were meant for her. “Don’t worry, Izzy, you are coming with!” the woman noted. The caption expressed remorse for Izzy’s heartbreaking reaction and said, “Grab me a tissue, because I am sobbing.” Over 348,500 people liked the post, while 2,204 more shared their viewpoints in the comments. “I am crying so hard right now, the way she’s looking at you and trying not to be nervous,” noted @mmamny1203 and @weratedogs said, “Her smile, she knows you wouldn’t do that to her.” @anniefisher49_ suggested, “It’s so sad that she still remembers her ordeal. Please hug her and reassure her.” 

Some pet owners related to the experience and shared their own. “Mine hated the car because he got adopted a few times and was brought back to the shelter. So, I started driving with him to nice locations for walks. Now, he loves it when I want to use the car,” recounted @marina999666999. According to a report by Psychology Today, dogs can retain their memory for a long time and even recall moments, good and bad, from at least a decade ago. Oftentimes, this aspect makes it difficult for pet owners to get their older dogs to unlearn things, mostly bad habits, from past experiences. 

However, a strong memory is crucial for a dog to function in their daily life, as it allows them to respond to verbal cues and commands. Smithsonian Magazine reported that dogs can form episodic memories, similar to humans, where they are able to recall an event from the past. Other animal species can rarely do this, with dogs as the only exception. 

You can follow @ninetoemo on TikTok for more videos.