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Puppy 'Nervous' About Leaving His Old Life for Forever Home Melts Hearts
It's hard to forget the special day when you meet your four-legged best friend, and one dog owner has gone viral on social media after sharing footage of her dog's gotcha day.
The video was shared on the dedicated Instagram account for BoJack the chocolate Labrador (@bojackthelab). The clip showed his wonderful transformation from a tiny pup who was "nervous to leave [his] family" to a cheeky mischief-maker.
Alongside the clip, the caption says there was "a sweet and heartfelt goodbye" to his breeder family, then a difficult car ride to his new forever home in New Jersey. Thankfully for young BoJack, his new owners comforted him and provided plenty of encouragement, which helped ease his nerves.
It didn't take long before his true personality came through, and the Labrador pup got to enjoy his new toys, his own dog bed and even learned what a mirror is.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by BoJack the Chocolate Labrador ð» (@bojackthelab)
Since the video was posted July 12, it has melted hearts, and there's hardly a dry eye left on social media. The viral Instagram Reel has generated over 6.1 million views and more than 219,000 likes.
Many owners celebrate their pet's gotcha day as the anniversary of when they got to bring it home. For some people, this is an excuse to lavish their best boy or girl with treats and gifts.
Of course, that isn't the only occasion when devoted owners love to spoil their pet rotten. A poll by YouGov revealed that 57 percent of owners buy their pet gifts for birthdays or holidays, and 40 percent enjoy having birthday celebrations just for them.
It's no secret that pets mean an awful lot to their owners, which is why 9 in 10 Americans consider them to be part of the family, according to YouGov. Indeed, while 32 percent of people refer to themselves as their dog's owner, 51 percent call themselves its parent, and 33 percent dub themselves its best friend.
The survey also asked participants what impact their cat or dog has had on their lives. Respondents highlighted the companionship they provide, unconditional love, support and bringing joy.
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Since the video of BoJack's "special day" went viral, Instagram users have been delighted to see how quickly he has adjusted to his new life, leading to more than 450 comments on the post.
One reads: "Those puppy days i kept in my heart forever."
Another user wrote: "Omg so beautiful then and still beautiful now!"
"Great video of Bojack's younger days," added one Instagram user.
Another commenter joked: "Doesn't it make you want another?"
Newsweek reached out to @bojackthelab via Instagram for comment and could not verify the details of the case.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.