Woman ‘knew’ her senior dog was ready to go when she saw his final walk — 55 minutes later, he crossed the rainbow bridge

Sometimes, it’s the ordinary moments that carry the most meaning, though we often don’t realize it until much later. According to reports, one pet owner learned this in the most heartbreaking way. Just 55 minutes before her senior dog passed away, she captured what she thought was an ordinary video. Now, she believes it was his way of saying goodbye. The video, posted by TikTok user @samiisilverr22, captures the pet's final moments.

Samantha Silver, 23, from Bergen County, New Jersey, spent 12 loving years with her dog Teddy, a Pekingese and Poodle mix. Over the years, she had documented many happy moments with him, but nothing prepared her for what would become their last. Teddy had been diagnosed with kidney failure on February 17, 2025. At first, the family thought it was just a stomach issue, but they were soon told it was much more serious—"a ticking clock,” Silver said. Although he held on for six more weeks, his health declined rapidly. His back legs grew weaker, and walking became a struggle. On the day he died, Silver took a short video of him managing a few steps. “I was recording the video because he was walking so well on his own, but I didn't know he was going to fall," she shared with Newsweek. She said she "didn't know that would be the last video.”

In the clip, Teddy walks unsteadily before falling. Silver then immediately stopped the video, picked him up, and held him close. She thought he was improving, but later, when rewatching the video, she saw something different. “When I was going through my camera roll after his passing, I watched that video back and saw the look in his eyes—he was telling me that it was time.” Less than an hour after the video was taken, Teddy crawled under her bed, his favorite quiet spot, and passed away peacefully. Silver believes her beloved pet "wanted to cross the rainbow bridge on his own terms.”

Silver shared that Teddy didn’t just rest under the bed like usual; he hid himself completely. “Normally, when he would go there, his head or legs would be popping out from underneath. But this time, I watched him crawl all the way to the back,” she said. Trusting her gut, she held him close and finally gave him permission to go. “The rest of my family gave him permission weeks before, but I was in denial...I truly believe that Teddy waited for me to give him permission before he went.” Veterinarian Dr. Aimee Warner shared with the outlet that dogs often find secluded places to pass, a behavior tied to their wild instincts to avoid predators and feel safe in their final moments.

After his passing, Silver shared the emotional video on TikTok with the onscreen text, “This was the moment I knew.” The video went viral, reaching over 3.9 million views since being posted. “I didn’t expect anyone to see it,” Silver said. "But the love and support from complete strangers is so heartwarming." 

For more endearing dog content, follow @samiisilverr22 on TikTok.