Losing your beloved dog is every pet owner's nightmare, but sometimes they pick the most inopportune moments to run off. For one couple, their dog waited until they opened the door to take their baby to the hospital before running outside and down the road.
In a video shared on TikTok by Peyton Campbell, a dad is seen heading out of the door with his baby in a carrier. As the mom shouts to warn him, the black Labrador shoots out of the open door and past the dad. The dog moves so quickly that the dad doesn't even see him go past. The scene was captured by a doorbell camera.
A caption reads: "POV, you're heading to the ER with your baby & your dog decides to make it about him."
Commenters have sympathized with the family, with many saying they would continue going to the hospital and hope for the best. One said: "I would have left and said a prayer for his safe return."
Another added: "Mine did this yesterday. I'm heavily pregnant and so done. I closed the door, continued my day and he eventually came back."
A user added: "Dogs with plenty of food, water and shelter and a loving family when the door is open for 0.1 second."
Pets' antics may make us feel stressed from time to time, but for many owners they are much-loved family members who provide companionship and support. Social media sites are awash with videos of children bonding with their dogs, cats and other animals. One study found that 63 percent of U.S. households with a baby under 12 months old had a pet.
Many parents feel that looking after—and learning to live with—an animal can offer children valuable lessons about responsibility, empathy and caregiving. Research indicates that pet ownership can be beneficial for kids. Pets can help them develop social skills and influence their cognitive development.
Using data from a longitudinal study of 4,000 children at ages 5 and 7, researchers have also found that pet ownership may be associated with more prosocial behavior with peers. Animals have also been shown to help children with autism by reducing stress in social situations and helping them form bonds.
So although our pets may try our patience at times, there are many reasons why we share our homes with them.
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