Sometimes a dog’s story hits you in the chest before you even realize you’re holding your breath. That’s what happens the moment the new video from @awayonearth begins. Elko — a small rescue dog with bright, searching eyes — is sitting on a bed with his paws resting on his human’s hands. It’s like he’s grounding himself before saying something big.
In the very next moment, the text on the screen spells out the part of his past no dog should have: being taped inside a box and tossed aside. But the quiet way he leans into his human says everything about the life he has now. And how wildly different it looks from where he started.
Dog does all the cool things after being rescued
The video wastes no time shifting gears from heartbreak to full-blown triumph. One second, Elko is on that bed; the next, he’s casually living a life most people would print on a vision board.
Fancy dinners in Austria? He’s there, sitting politely on his human’s lap while a water glass is held out for him like he’s the guest of honor. Long-haul flights around the world? He’s nestled comfortably beside his person. And getting loving pets as the light pours into the cabin.
Then come the snapshots that feel almost unreal if you remember where he came from: posing by the Louvre as though he’s used to museum runs. Next, we see him sprinting across wide-open fields in the Italian Dolomites. He is nose-to-the-ground exploring against colorful old churches. And is even hiking across the Swiss Alps. He does all this with the confidence of a well-loved dog who feels safe as long as his human is by his side.
The final clip brings everything full circle — Elko curled up in bed with his human. He’s stretching in that relaxed, safe way rescue dogs do once they finally believe the good part isn’t temporary.
With over a thousand likes already, people are clearly rooting for him. Comments range from “Yes you do sweet boy” to “LOVE YOU BOTH,” and it’s impossible not to feel the same.
