Dog comforts little girl after an earthquake (Video)

Dogs have an uncanny ability to offer comfort and support to their humans when they need it most. Whether it’s leading a blind person to help them live independently or bringing smiles to the faces of sick children in a hospital ward, dogs are highly attuned to the emotional states of the people they love. Kyle Leary of Palmer, Alaska, shared this video of his daughter and her dog sharing a bond so close that it practically leaps off the screen, and now the clip has gone viral.

The devoted dad says that after Alaska was hit by a massive 7.0 earthquake and over 5,000 aftershocks, his daughter was so frightened that she developed anxiety and trouble sleeping. As the Leary family struggled to recover from the trauma of the quake, they resolved to do whatever it took to help their young daughter feel safe in her home again. Since Ady has grown up with a very special “best friend and bodyguard,” she felt safest with the solid, furry form snuggled up next to her in her bed. “The only way she’ll sleep is if Fury is in there with her to protect and ease her anxiety. Normally he sleeps on the floor next to her bed but that night she called him up to cuddle him cause we had another aftershock,” said her dad.

If you raise them with love, they only show love

The short video shows Ady in her bed, pulling a blanket to cover up Fury as he snoozes next to her. The dog doesn’t budge as she fiddles with the blanket, even pulling the covers over the dog’s head as she lies down next to him. While most people who saw Kyle’s video thought it was sweet that Ady has her big lug of a dog to comfort her after the trauma of the earthquake, this is the internet, so, of course, some people criticized the dad for leaving the girl unattended with the dog. Watch the video, we’re so glad that little Adalynn has such a wonderful friend to act as her therapy dog as she recovers from the scary memories of the earthquakes.