Woman Watches Pet Cam at Work, Not Prepared for How Dog Helps Rabbit Escape

Pet cameras are often installed so owners can keep an eye on their furry friends—like Shannon Thayne, who was recently given a fright as she watched her dog doing something she shouldn’t.

Thayne, 27, from South Jersey, has shared the surveillance footage on TikTok (@shannonthayne), and it quickly went viral, gathering 1.1 million views since April 9.

The text layered over the clip explains she was at work when she spotted her boxer and Pitbull mix, Coco, “break” her four-year-old rabbit, called Cali, out of her cage.

She told Newsweek: “I was very anxious watching it live and rushing home to put her back.”

The footage starts with Thayne putting her hand over her mouth with wide eyes, then she shares why. Five-year-old Coco, who is described as “sometimes questionable,” can be seen pushing the rabbit’s gate open. Then they are both seen in the living room area.

The text states they’ve “never been out together” before. However, you’d never know it, as Coco is patiently sat next to Cali, who could have been “eaten by anything,” says the text. But she too remained calm and collected.

The clip, captioned: “They definitely gave me a heart attack, but hey, at least they’re cool now,” has received over 185,000 likes.

She told Newsweek that they sometimes hang out. Thayne, who owns a cleaning company, told Newsweek: “Coco is learning how to be nice and gentle.”

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), dogs are naturally wired to hunt small animals, which is why it isn’t advised to leave them unsupervised together.

The AKC states that 14,000 years ago, wolves living near humans gradually evolved into dogs. Modern dogs still retain some of their wolf ancestry, including instinctual predatory behaviors like spotting, stalking, chasing, and attacking prey. However, depending on a breed’s original purpose, not all dogs exhibit the full sequence.

The AKC states letting your dog chase or watch squirrels or rabbits reinforces the obsession. Owners are advised to keep their canine on a leash during training to maintain control and build impulse control.

The AKC has provided the following training tips for dogs who are obsessed with chasing small animals:

• Teach a focus cue like “watch me” to get eye contact before your dog notices a rabbit or bird.
• Use the “leave it” cue if your dog notices a small animal first.
• Start training in low-distraction environments, then gradually work up to areas with wildlife.
• Reward your dog with treats when they respond well to cues.
• Use the Premack Principle: let your dog briefly watch the critter as a reward after obeying a cue.

TikTok Reacts

“Oh nah. I’d be flying home immediately,” said one comment with over 10,000 likes, and another user agreed: “I’d immediately have to rush home [because] my dogs are chill and all but idk if I trust them with a bunny.”

A third commenter said: “My Pitbull LOVED my guinea pigs!! I had to start locking the cage up because she would get in there and lay down with them.”

But not all dog owners have the same experience. A fourth user warned: “This is exactly how my bunny died and it was a SHIH TZU.”

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.