What started as a quick visit through a hole in the yard fence has turned into the most beautiful friendship that has helped an Oklahoma couple heal their heartbreak after losing their senior pups.
In a post shared on TikTok on Thursday under the username @herecomesbella, Crystal Karnes and her husband Seth share the story of their unusual friendship with their neighbors’ dog, leaving internet users in tears.
“One day, the neighbor’s dog decided our yard was better. She has helped us heal after losing our dog, Dooney, and picked her person instantly. Now she is becoming more and more our dog every day. She may not officially be ours, but she feels like part of our family,” Karnes writes in the caption.
“It all started with a hole in the fence… now we can’t imagine life without her,” she continues in the post.
Karnes told Newsweek that in the last year and a half they have lost both of their senior dogs, Blade, 15, who was blind for the last four years of his life, and Dooney, a miniature long haired dachshund, that was their baby girl for the last 17 years.
It was shortly after their second pup passed that Bella, the neighbor’s dog, began sneaking into their yard through a hole in the fence to spend time with them.
“Since then, she’s been showing up almost every day, as if she somehow knew Seth needed her. She’s brought so much laughter and comfort into our lives, and the bond she’s formed with us (especially with my husband) feels truly special,” she said.
While Bella is not technically their dog, she has brought them some relief after losing their fur-babies, but the couple is not ready to fully open their family to another member just yet.
“As for another dog, right now we’re just taking things one day at a time. Our hearts are still healing, and Bella has been such a gift in that process. If the timing ever feels right down the road, we’ll know, but for now, she’s filling a space in our hearts we didn’t realize could heal this way,” Karnes said.
“It’s just how amazing animals are at sensing what we need, even when we don’t. Bella may not ‘belong’ to us, but she’s chosen us in her own way, and we’re so grateful for the joy she brings every day.”
The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 1.2 million views and 222,900 likes.
One user, Yourasiandarling, commented: “Imagine pulling into your neighborhood and your neighbors walking your dog.”
NaldoCooksEverything said: “Maaaaaaaan that dog is running game on the whole neighborhood. She probably getting treats from several families!”
Gingery added: “My cat did this, got herself a second family with the elderly neighbours. She would go for cuddles and peace away from the kids and then come home at night.”
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