A couple on a mission to adopt a dog from the shelter ended up coming home with more than they bargained for.
The Australian couple, known on TikTok as @darlingwildling, wanted to adopt a dog from the local animal shelter and immediately fell in love with Narla. But they learned Narla had a brother, Nixon, and the two were inseparable. The couple felt in their hearts they couldn’t get her without him and before they knew it, their family of two became a family of four.
The couple’s September 27 TikTok video shows Narla and Nixon in the car heading home. The two dogs couldn’t be happier together and out of the shelter environment. Smiles took over their faces. They finally tasted the good life of being adopted. And wanting to show off their happiness, they kept sticking her head out the car window. One of the dogs even looked back at the couple as if to thank them for keeping them together.
When asked if they only adopted Narla first, the couple told Newsweek via TikTok, “No way.” They instantly knew they wanted to adopt both dogs, but they needed a few supplies first.
“We went straight to Kmart and picked up another set of everything and came back for both!” the couple said.
And ever since then, the couple knew these dogs were “meant to be” with them.
Screenshots from a September 27 TikTok video of a couple adopting doggy siblings. The felt they couldn’t go home with one and not the other as the two were bonded.
@darlingwildling/TikTok
In a follow-up video, the couple asked for advice as they began living with rescue dogs. People were quick to offer tips with many emphasizing the need for time and patience.
Shelter animals often need time to adjust to their new environment. Experts recommend following the 3, 3, 3 rule, which are different stages dogs will cross as they adjust to their home, although every dog is different.
The first three days are usually the decompressing stage as they unwind from the shelter environment. The next three weeks are when they will start coming out of their shell and showing their typical behavior, and by three months, they are usually fully comfortable in their new homes and have learned their new routines.
The TikTok video with over 191,500 views, 24,000 likes and 1,305 comments instantly captured people’s hearts and viewers shared their appreciation for the couple keeping the siblings together.
“Thank you. They are bonded so it would cause immense suffering for the rest of their lives to separate them. Thank you for understanding that bond,” said a TikTok user.
Another person wrote: “Best day of their lives, rather than saddest being separated.”
A third viewer pointed out: “Look how appreciative they are.”
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.
