A woman who got a pet dog to help with her anxiety has left the internet in hysterics after revealing what she ended up with.
In a hilarious video that has since gone viral, TikTok user Shae (@theshaemlessme) explained that she wanted a four-legged friend to help work through her anxiety. That seems reasonable enough—until you see the dog she returned home with.
The clip shows the small dog trembling in the passenger seat of Shae's car, looking very weary and wide-eyed. The nervous pup can't help but constantly survey his surroundings and even needs some extra support from Shae to comfort him.
It turns out that the dog isn't much of an emotional support dog, but more emotional and in need of support instead.
@theshaemlessme / TikTok
Internet users can't get enough of the dog Shae brought home to help with her anxiety, only to end up supporting him instead. Since the video was shared on February 13, it has gone viral with more than 17 million views and over 2.6 million likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
Newsweek contacted @theshaemlessme via TikTok for comment.
Layered over the video of her nervous dog, the caption jokes: “The dog I got to help me with my anxiety.”
It's no secret that Americans love their pets, with most people even considering them to be part of the family. But a poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) also shows that they offer multiple mental health benefits too.
The results of the APA's Healthy Minds Monthly Poll show that 86 percent of respondents say their pets have a mostly positive impact on their mental health. Among those findings, 69 percent of people said their pets help reduce stress and anxiety, 69 percent said they provide unconditional love, and 66 percent said they offer a calming presence. The findings were also similar for both cat and dog owners.
After the video of Shae's anxious dog went viral, social media users lauded her dog for taking the job of anxiety support very literally. Indeed, plenty of commenters were obsessed with the idea of them having to help each other out, which has led to more than 64,700 comments on TikTok so far.
One comment reads: “Dude under a lot of pressure to perform.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “He definitely lied on his resume.”
Another person responded: “bro said you don't need a companion, you need competition.”
“Somebody get HIM an emotional support animal,” joked one commenter.
While another TikTok user commented: “It's working, he is clearly absorbing all your anxiety.”
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