After years of only knowing darkness, pain, and isolation, one dog finally got a taste of what the outside world was made of.
Heartwarming footage captured the dog experiencing her very first car ride, reminding us of the little joys in life we often take for granted — including sunshine and kindness.
The dog, who spent five years confined in a puppy mill, experienced freedom for the first time after she was adopted.
For the first five years of her life, the Australian Shepard was held in a puppy mill and forced to birth litters of puppies in squalor. As fortune would have it, she was rescued by a good Samaritan who wanted to give her a chance at a better life.
The moment she left the mill property, the sweet mama dog wasted no time taking in the world around her. Her new owner, a woman named Shaycaptured footage of her first car ride and shared it on TikTok, where it has been viewed nearly 200,000 times.
Shay cracked open the windows so that the pup could experience her first ride to the fullest and take in all of the fresh air, the smell of fast food, the green leaves, and the sight of all of the new people who were hopefully a lot kinder than the ones who locked her away.
The dog clearly enjoyed the ride, sticking her head outside and panting excitedly.
She was embracing her newfound freedom in other ways too, by running through the backyard, playing fetch, and learning new tricks in exchange for treats.
The dog’s first car ride captured the hearts of viewers, who wished her a full and happy life.
“Oh my goodness, what a little sweetheart. She gets a second chance at life with you now. How special!!!” one TikTok user commented.
“I love this happy ending!!! All dogs deserve this. There are so many more that need to be saved and rescued!” another user noted.
“May this chapter be the only one she remembers! Thank you angel!” another wrote.
While this mama dog clearly hit the jackpot with her new forever family, not all dogs are so lucky.
There are an estimated 10,000 puppy mills that exist in the U.S. today, and fewer than 3,000 are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, per the Humane Society.
Approximately 500,000 dogs are held in puppy mills with 128,000 being used solely for breeding purposes.
Puppy mills have little regard for the health and well-being of the dogs being held there, and many of them are inbred, starved, and left in filthy conditions before some of them unfortunately perish.
However, the mills will remain up and running as long as consumers continue buying their dogs from pet stores instead of adopting them from shelters and rescues.
According to ASPCAover 6 million animals enter shelters each year. 4 million are adopted, while 920,000 are never brought to their forever homes and are euthanized.
If you are considering adding a pet to your family, it is best to stay away from stores and breeders and take in an animal who is in desperate need of a home.
Take a trip to your local shelter. Chances are high that at least one animal will steal your heart, and once you bring them home, it will feel as if they were there all along.
sergey kolesnikov | Shutterstock
One day, you may even take them out for their very first car ride, roll the windows down, and let them enjoy the view, wondering how you ever smiled without them.
While our dogs may only be around for a chapter of our lives, we are their entire lives.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.
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