Woman Shares Why She Refuses to Put Her Golden Retriever, Aged 20, to Sleep

Online commenters were extremely moved after a video of a golden retriever called Bella, who is seen struggling to walk because of her old age, went viral on social media.

The viral clip, shared on TikTok in September by the dog's owner, under the username Mary_nj_041, shows the 20-year-old dog struggling to walk toward the poster, who is trying to give her as much love as possible in her final days.

The clip comes with a caption that says: "My golden girl, Bella, is 20 yrs old.... She's on borrowed time. People tell me it's time to let her go. But she hasn't told me yet. Today is another good day. She loves windy days. There's nothing more magical than watching [the] wind work its magic."

Further down in the comments, the poster explained that Bella is still going strong and that she will wait for her to tell her when it's time. According to the owner, the retriever still has a big appetite and her water intake is great, as is her potty schedule: "She's just aging...like humans."

Bella has lived almost twice the usual life expectancy of a pure-breed golden retriever, which live, on average, about 10 to 12 years, according to the American Kennel Club.

They're also a hardworking breed, used for everything from hunting and tracking to rescue and service dog work. Despite being very playful, and sometimes goofy, they learn quickly and can master a multitude of skills, including how to perform as search and rescue dogs at a disaster site.

They are often employed as therapy dogs to calm and soothe people. That's because they can offer a lot of love and are able to calm and comfort anyone, from young children to elderly patients.

The clip has attracted the attention of numerous animal lovers on the platform, receiving over 969,300 views and 144,600 likes.

One user, MileyJustine, commented: "Baby looks so good and clearly still loves her life with you. Praying for many more quality times at her pace."

And Valeria Barreiro said: "My vet told me once that they will let me know when [it's] time. So I won't let go until they tell me. In the meantime, I would love them more every day."

Another user, Amandina_cf, said: "Please tell me what you've done to help her stay healthy and live a beautiful 20 years with you!!!"

LNikole wrote: "My dog stopped eating...that's when I knew." And Anaisabel_s said: "My Bella is getting there too but she's still eating and full of life she's not there yet!"

Jaydon Cottman said: "Never ever is it ENOUGH time with our FurBabies!! Sending you both hugs!!"

And Cargo022 said: "She doesn't want to leave her mama either. This video makes me cry. So many dogs deserve the life you give her."

Newsweek reached out for comment to Mary_nj_041 and could not verify the details of the case.