The dog, unable to hold back tears, lowered his head in gratitude as passersby fed him after days of starvation, showing immense thankfulness.

In 2020, a deeply emotional video went viral, touching the hearts of thousands. It didn’t just make rounds on Douyin—it spread across several social media platforms, moving countless viewers.

The touching incident took place in Jinzhong, a city in China’s Shanxi province. The footage stirred emotions as people witnessed the gentle interaction between a passerby and a lonely street dog.

A woman was out for a walk with her friends when she came across a small, adorable dog wandering alone. What stunned her was how the dog reacted when she offered him a piece of sausage.

As soon as she handed him food, tears welled up in the little dog’s eyes. In a heart-melting gesture, the dog stood on his hind legs and waved his front paws, almost as if applauding the woman’s kindness. She recalled:

“He started crying when we gave him something to eat. I tried to take him into our car once, but he jumped back out onto the street.”

Later in the video, the woman returned to the same area—and the dog immediately recognized her. He ran toward her excitedly, as if he had been waiting for her to come back.

“Even animals have feelings; treat them with kindness,” one user commented on Douyin.

The woman captured a sweet moment of the dog happily wagging his tail as she gave him another sausage. She speculated that the dog might have mistaken her for someone else when she first tried to help him into the car.

Given that dog catchers often lure strays using food before taking them away, it’s possible the pup feared the woman was one of them. A few days later, she returned to the same spot, but the dog was nowhere to be found. She said:

“I’ve come back a few times looking for him, but I haven’t seen him again.”

She even planned to ask local sanitation workers if they had noticed the dog in the area. The video quickly gained traction online, prompting heartfelt reactions in the comments section.

“Everything has a soul. Be gentle with all beings,” another viewer wrote. Many people praised the woman’s compassion, while expressing sorrow for the dog’s uncertain fate. One commenter added:

“Dogs are deeply emotional animals. If you show them love, they’ll repay you with loyalty.”

Another person shared a heartbreaking thought, suggesting the dog may have paid the price for trusting people—and could have been taken by animal control. “It’s possible he’s no longer there,” they wrote.

“Such a grateful little dog,” someone else said, adding crying emojis to reflect their sadness. The majority of viewers were left feeling heartbroken after watching the poignant footage.

If this story moved you, you might also be touched by another tale—one about a police officer who risked his own life to rescue a sick bear cub left behind by its family.