'We kiss your dogs for you': Vet tech’s emotional last moments with pets will make you cry hard

Losing pets is, perhaps, the most heartbreaking pain that true animal lovers can relate to. No matter how hard you try, no one is ever prepared for the devastating moment, but once you have felt it, you will never forget it. Though traumatic, it is equally important for all owners to spend as much time as possible with their pets during their final moments. However, not all pet parents can watch their babies pass in front of them; more often than not, it is the helplessness that kills them from within. Hence, some owners make the difficult choice of staying away from their pets during their final journey. On a related note, Isabella (@dogsandprs on TikTok), a vet technician, shared a video revealing how she stays with the animals, offering them comfort, especially to those who leave the world without their families beside them.

In the now-viral video, Isabella was seen taking care of an ailing dog and comforting them during 'euthanasia' — the act of putting an animal to sleep to end further suffering. First, she gently removed the injections, then put her forehead next to the dog, possibly whispering a final bittersweet goodbye. The dog also kept licking Isabella's face, as if drinking her tears and offering a quiet reassurance that everything would be okay. "We kiss your dogs for you as their last goodbye, by the way. Sincerely, a vet tech," she shared. Further, Isabella wrote, "Just to ease your mind, if you can’t stay with them during the process, they’re never alone, I promise," in the video caption.

Even though the decision to euthanise your pet is just too disheartening, watching them pass away peacefully is also gratifying. As per the National Library of Medicine, the loss of a ''companion animal'' can be an intense emotional journey, often resulting in "feelings of sadness, despair, and numbness." The report further claims that most people dealing with pet loss experience grief equivalent to that of losing a human companion. 

Meanwhile, the emotional video received an overwhelming response on social media, reaching over 4 million views online. While some expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the vet tech, others recalled their final moments with their beloved pets. For example, a user who goes by @misszendrist on the platform commented, "There’s a special place for people who prioritize their comfort over being there for a loyal companion." Similarly, a grieving pet owner, @official_kristina, revealed, "As hard & traumatizing as it was to be there when we had to euthanize our boy, I put those feelings aside so he knew he wasn't alone & he could go peacefully. RIP Sebastian!"

Another user who goes by @hi.yusra on TikTok shared, "I have very strong opinions on owners that voluntarily choose to leave their pets to die on their own… You don’t deserve them." @smokyvaldeezy said, "Thank you for doing that. They gave us their best moments; the least we can do is be there for their worst." @urstepgrandpa revealed, "The vet tech hugged me and told me it’s not my fault. After my boy closed his eyes, I watched the light fade and sat with him a half hour later. I begged them to kiss him before putting him with the communal cremation. We were so broke we couldn’t even afford the appointment; a friend lent us money at 3 am."

Follow Waffle’s World's (@dogsandprs) official TikTok page for more dog-related content.