A rescue dog who had one of his legs amputated after being diagnosed with cancer can be seen returning to the park for the first time since starting chemotherapy in a TikTok video that was posted to the platform last week.

Mozart could barely contain his delight as he made his way around a place he has known and loved throughout his time with Monika Minikin, a professional dog trainer and greyhound behavior specialist based in Sydney.

Minikin adopted Mozart through the Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) initiative.

"He was a racing dog under the name of 'Rich Buddy' and won a few races but hardly was making riches for his owner and trainer," Minikin told Newsweek. "I approached GAP to do fostering since I was building up my skills as a dog trainer and had always wanted to work more with greyhounds. They told me that Mozart was their most challenging and anxious dog and was so fearful that he would often urinate out of fear when touched."

Though Mozart struggled at the rescue, it was a different story with Minikin.

"I fell in love with him immediately," she said. "He's always loved going on bush walks but he's also a bit of a homebody so lounging around in the sun in the backyard is something he enjoys as well. He even discovered he even enjoys snorkeling in the shallows of the small beach we go to - he just puts his nose under the water and walks along. It's very funny."

Seeing Mozart bounce back from the difficulties faced in his early life was a joy for Minikin to witness. "I've loved seeing his personality come out now that he's more confident and comfortable about the world," she said.

However, that joy was shattered last summer when Mozart's health took an unexpected turn. "We noticed Mozart was limping at the end of May and thought it was his arthritis flaring up," Minikin said. "When it didn't improve, I took him to the vet and we got an X-ray done where they found the cancer in his bone."

Studies have suggested that bone cancer or osteosarcoma affects a significant amount of greyhounds. A 2007 survey of 747 retired greyhounds conducted as part of a study published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine found that 25 percent of the 113 deaths recorded over a two-year period were due to osteosarcoma.

Minikin admits it is "hard to say" what the future holds for Mozart. "While the amputation has removed the main source of the cancer it is an aggressive cancer that can spread into cells rapidly," she said.

However, they are doing everything in their power to ensure his life is as happy and long as possible. That means ongoing treatment.

"So we're doing chemotherapy to give him the best chance," she said. "He's overall feeling okay and he's showing an enthusiasm for life and being himself so that tells me he's feeling better now that the pain of the cancer in his bones is gone."

That first trip back to the park provided Minikin with some form of vindication that Mozart is still enjoying life in the face of such incredible adversity.

"It was such a big moment and I was so proud of him for taking it all in his stride! It's one of his favorite parks and he pretty much jumped straight out of the car without any help," she said. "I knew he still didn't have the strength and stamina for a big walk, so we stayed close to the car but I followed Mozart to where he wanted to go. He was just so keen to go and sniff around and explore! It was great to see his enthusiasm and zest for life again!"

It's moments like these that make Minikin determined to treasure her life with Mozart as much as she can.

"I try not to think too far ahead and just hope we will be one of the lucky ones that get more than one year," she said. "I'm hoping we can go back to his favorite places and join the group greyhound walks when he's strong enough. I'd also like to do some hydrotherapy sessions with him. If he can get the strength to run again I'd be so happy!"

In sharing videos like the one of Mozart in the park to her TikTok page under the username @pedunclesandpaws, Minikin also hopes to educate others on spotting and treating cancer in dogs.

"I hope people can learn more about the process of treating cancer in dogs and know that there are a lot of options out there to ensure quality of life and potentially save our dogs' lives," she said. "It's so important we investigate any limping and get scans done to rule out cancer."

Minikin also wanted to thank her mom, partner, friends and family for their support as well as that of the Sydney rescue greyhound community and those who have donated to the GoFundMe set up to cover Mozart's ongoing treatment.

"We're dealing with a huge rehoming crisis here in Australia as the racing industry is breeding too many dogs and there's just not enough homes for them," she said. "They capture your heart with their quirky behaviors and there's really nothing better than seeing your rescue greyhound go from shy and anxious to confident and happy!"

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