Still groggy from anesthesia, a 6-year-old rescue dog began desperately crawling to his owner. When she realized why, her heart broke

Waking up from anesthesia can be confusing for everyone, whether a human or an animal. But for a six-year-old foster dog, Rivington, it brought back a past state of intense terror. Disoriented after a dental procedure, he could barely stand or move, yet he refused to stay still and crawled toward Clare, his foster mom, determined not to let history repeat itself. Clare initially couldn't understand why Rivington was trying so hard to be near her. But then she remembered a heartbreaking truth about his past, and that broke her heart. On June 10, she (@beansfosterbuddies) shared the video on TikTok, which has received over 975,000 views online.

A daunting past

Rivington, also known as Rivi, had to undergo an emergency dental procedure after he broke a front tooth, as Clare, his foster mom, told Newsweek. Thankfully, the treatment went well, and the dog soon woke up from anesthesia. But the minute he opened his eyes, all he wanted to do was stay close to Clare. With his eyes barely open and his feet unsteady, Rivi struggled to crawl toward his foster mom despite feeling weak. But why? Well, before meeting Clare, he was abandoned at a shelter by his previous owner in 2021.

The previous owner did so because they could no longer take care of Rivi and suggested that he should be euthanized. However, thankfully, the dog entered the rescue system and was moved from one home to another. This explains why he might've thought that Clare was also about to leave him — something he knew his heart might not be able to handle. 

A bond that grew gently

"Seeing him panic like that broke my heart," Clare recalled. "Despite everything he'd been through that day, his biggest concern was making sure I wasn't going to leave him behind." Nonetheless, even though the world might think that Clare and Rivi always shared this bond, that isn't true. On the contrary, at first, Rivi did not like Clare at all.

This, of course, was because of his traumatic past, as forming new relationships had become hard for Rivi. But instead of forcing love onto him, Clare took the lesser-traveled road and gave him his space and time. Sure enough, that worked as he eventually came through and realized that he could trust her. "Watching Rivington learn to trust again has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Although progress has felt slow at times, I am hopeful that I've set him up with enough of a foundation to transition to his forever home," Clare confessed.

Adoption delays

Although Rivi has had adopters before, nothing ever solidified because of his shy nature. However, Clare claims that beneath that layer of protection, he's one of the most loyal dogs one could ever ask for. Nonetheless, the dog's current situation highlights a larger issue. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), about 5.8 million dogs and cats entered the shelter and rescue world in 2025. Out of these, only about 4.2 million were adopted into loving homes. 

In fact, those who were adopted had to wait longer than ever before, especially large dogs, such as Rivi. Despite that, euthanasia rates did see a dip in 2025, with the rate seeing about 7% decrease for dogs and a 2% decrease for cats from the previous year. This showcases the brutal reality of the animal shelter and rescue space, which continues to get overburdened every year. Nonetheless, that's why people wanted to help and even extended their support toward getting Rivi a loving home. 

'That baby chose you'

@dirtydelta0311 wrote, "If I ever get my hands on big money, I'm buying land. treats toys, food, and beds for all the animals I can." At the same time, @averybotts suggested that Clare adopt Rivi and commented, "He has been with you for 5 years. Please adopt him so he doesn't ever have to think you didn't want him too"

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