A rescue dog’s reaction to the upheaval of moving house has broken hearts online as 25-year-old Heather Clark from Los Angeles shared footage of her rescue dog, Kario, struggling with the upheaval.
The pit and toy poodle mix, adopted from a rescue ranch called The Barking Lot outside San Diego, found the sudden arrival of towering boxes and disappearing furniture deeply unsettling.
Kairo’s history makes his anxiety understandable. Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, he was well cared for by his first owner who, tragically, died young. Clark and her boyfriend discovered the details in his veterinary records, and suspect Kairo was abandoned by the owner’s family after his death.
“As soon as the main furniture pieces—the couch, dining table—were removed and boxes took their place, he was glued to me,” Clark told Newsweek. “I moved his dog bed to the packing area so he could keep an eye on us. It helped.”
It seemed that the upheaval had upset Kairo, perhaps reminding him of being left alone in the past. In a video shared on TikTok, Clark made it clear: “You’ll never be left to fend for yourself again my sweet baby.”
Moving House With a Dog
The American Kennel Club (AKC) offers some advice for dealing with the stress of moving with a dog.
Moving boxes, strangers and changes in routine can all cause anxiety in dogs, making moving stress very common. While moving the AKC advises keeping your pet’s routine as normal as possible, and trying to keep them away from people coming in and out of the house.
On moving day, they advise leaving your dog elsewhere, maybe with a friend or neighbor while you move boxes in and out of houses. This keeps dogs safe and helps reduce their stress.
When you arrive at the new home, place your dog somewhere quiet and safely away from open doors and unloading chaos. This gives them time to relax and adjust to the situation.
The video of Kairo’s reaction to the moving boxes has gained viral attention on TikTok, with more than 1.2 million views. The reaction resonated with viewers and particularly other pet owners who shared their own experiences and even tips for moving with pets.
“I didn’t expect how common this behavior was—for dogs with traumatic pasts, and honestly, for all dogs. Big changes like this are just scary,” Clark said. “We’ve been overwhelmed by how invested people have been in Kairo’s journey.”
Thankfully, Clark, her boyfriend, and Kairo are now fully settled into their new home, and Kairo’s tail wags are back.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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