She sent her dog away because she couldn't care for him. Their reunion is breaking hearts

Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of substance abuse that some readers may find distressing.

Breaking free from any kind of addiction isn't easy. People often justify their addiction as a means of escaping the gruesome reality, making it a tempting but ultimately destructive coping mechanism. Those who find comfort in substance abuse may gain temporary relief, but their friends and family are the ones who genuinely suffer. Now, this isn't just restricted to their human companions, as their pets also suffer the unbearable misery. While some abandon their pets because of addiction, others take their frustrations out on those babies. A touching video by Dog Heaven LLC (@dogheavenllc on Instagram) captured the beautiful bond between a dog and his owner as they reunited after the woman's two-month-long stay in rehab.

The rescue home took care of Coco, an adorable pitbull, when his owner, Melissa, was in rehab, conquering her addiction. Thankfully, after two months, the woman, who had possibly overcome the disease, reunited with Coco, and the moment it happened was just heartwarming. They lay next to each other with Coco continuously snuggling closer to Melissa, as if telling her how much he'd missed her presence. Melissa, too, kept caressing her dog, allowing him to relish every second of their reunion. "We got to witness the kind of bond that reminds us why we do what we do. Rescue work is not always easy, but goodness, it’s worth it," the shelter home shared, reflecting on the precious moment.

Though the fear of addicted owners harming their dogs is real, a report by the National Library of Medicine says people living with substance use disorder (SUD) can largely benefit from the presence of a pup. According to research, owning a dog helps individuals connect more with others, giving them a sense of purpose and shaping their lives in general. Meanwhile, Melissa's video received an overwhelming response on social media, with people appreciating her for taking the brave step of attending rehabilitation therapy and sending Coco to a shelter home so he wouldn't have to deal with the fallout of her recovery process.

A user who goes by @dexterandchappie on Instagram commented, "OMG, congratulations to her owner for taking a huge leap of faith, and thank you for helping take care of Coco." @recycled_air shared, "What a beautiful moment! I hope she knows how proud of her we all are!" @megz said, "Congratulations to her owner for doing the crazy hard work she did and for having her dog lovingly cared for. What a beautiful bond to share and to have it reunited." Similarly, another user, @fosteringabuddy, commented, "I’m so f****** proud of her owner. I hope she’s able to heal because her little pittie is ready to give her so much love. Thank you for keeping them together; so beautiful. Everyone deserves support during hard times."

@root shared, "He probably knew she needed help and could sense how much progress she's made." On the other hand, @allannah pointed out, "This is why we treat our dogs like children. They offer us more unconditional love than some will ever understand. My dogs get me out of bed on the days that life doesn’t feel worth living. They MAKE IT worth living." @dreamons praised the animal sanctuary and revealed, "This is such an amazing option! I was on the street for 10 years with my dogs because I couldn't get into rehab and didn't have a place for them to go. They both ended up passing away about 2 years ago, and I have been clean for a year and 6 months now. You do great work."

You can follow Dog Heaven LLC | Animal Sanctuary (@dogheavenllc) on Instagram for more dog-related content.