Staff at a doggy daycare noticed one of their longtime regulars struggling to keep up with her friends, so they stepped in with a touching gesture that left the internet in happy tears.
Maggie, a 9-year-old pug, has been attending Teddy’s Dog Care, a luxury doggy daycare, since she was just 8 weeks old. Over the years, staff watched her grow into her senior years, forming a close bond along the way. But with age came a degenerative condition that began to affect her mobility, the owner and founder of the daycare, Michelle Wilson, told Newsweek via email.
“We noticed that she was struggling to keep up with her friends at day care recently and wanted to support her,” she said.
A March 18 TikTok video posted to the account @teddysdogs shows multiple videos of Maggie’s deterioration over time as she used her two front legs to walk through the yard. As her mobility decreased, staff decided to gift Maggie a special doggy wheelchair, and the second part of the clip reveals her newfound freedom. Maggie could once again run through the daycare with all her friends, as she did when she was a puppy.
Maggie’s owners were brought to tears by the generous gift. Wilson said it “meant everything” to them.
And for Maggie, she hasn’t stopped zooming. Wilson said it didn’t take her long to adapt, as she’s a “determined girl.”
“She’s one of those dogs that reminds us why this work matters so much,” Wilson said. “At Teddy’s, we don’t see limitations; we focus on what each dog can do, and we build on that. Watching her find her zoomies again has been really special for all of us.”
Why Mobility Support Matters
Mobility loss is common in senior dogs, often caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis or degenerative neurological diseases that can worsen over time. Degenerative myelopathy—a condition that typically affects older dogs—leads to progressive muscle weakness and coordination issues, eventually making walking difficult, according to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
While there is no cure, supportive care can help maintain quality of life, including physical therapy and assistive devices. Tools like dog wheelchairs allow canines to stay active, engaged, and comfortable, helping them move more freely despite weakened limbs.
TikTok Users React
Like Maggie’s owners, the internet was brought to tears over Maggie’s need for speed. The TikTok clip reached over 887,000 views, 146,700 likes and nearly 3,000 comments as of Friday.
“Girl is driving it like she stole it,” joked one user.
Another added: “The explosion of happiness got me.”
A third person commented: “The way she sprinted off has me giggling…..GO SWEET BABY GO!!”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
