In a recent viral video currently circulating TikTok, a woman is seen taking a matted, overheated dog while someone confronts her, telling her that it belonged to her neighbor. The TikToker, Samantha, uses her account @streetlifetothesweetlife to showcase and update her followers about dogs that she rescues. She is often known for having several dogs at once, especially since she often fosters dogs and volunteers at her local shelter. However, her videos are rarely controversial, except for the video in which she steals a dog and justifies her actions by doing so, telling the concerned neighbor that the dog looked like it hadn’t eaten and most likely had heartworms.
@streetlifetothesweetlife Back when I didn’t GAF. RIP Bertha I wish I had found you sooner ????????
Though the video was an obvious example of stealing, and even the creator did not deny this as she noted she looked up the statute of limitations of stealing, many defended her. One commenter wrote that they would “pay for their lawyer fees.” Others noted that she did the right thing, especially since the dog later passed away a few months ago from one of the issues Samantha suspected: heartworms. And, this is not the first time Samantha has taken dogs home and rescued them, but since she was actually taking a dog from someone’s yard, many thought this was too bold of a move to make, even despite the dog’s poor health.
@streetlifetothesweetlife We named her Mirabel ❤️
One person wrote that this was not Samantha’s place to do so, and she should have called a local vet or animal control, noting that Samantha “should have called a humane society or something instead of taking someone else’s dog.” There were other comments like this as well, noting that people should first talk to the owners instead of taking someone else’s property. However, a law was recently passed in Texas outlawing the use of chains to contain dogs, and owners must make sure their dogs have shade and adequate food and water.
Overall, though the video was controversial and collected over 100 thousand likes, many agreed that Samantha made the right decision, despite any potential legal consequences she might have had to face. Many supported Samantha and reminded her that the dog died knowing she was loved and taken care of, which in the end was worth it.
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