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The moment a service dog fell asleep while meeting Mickey Mouse during a trip to Disney World has melted hearts.
Ashton McGrady, 31, lives in Nashville, Tennesse, and took her four-year-old service dog Forest to Disney to support her on the trip.
"With my various medical conditions, it would be much more challenging for me to go to the parks without my service dog. Even when my wife is with me, there are certain tasks that he can provide that could not be replaced by another human or caregiver, such as indicating that I am going to experience a syncope episode before it happens," McGrady told Newsweek.
Forest supports his owner who has a connective tissue disorder called Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a comorbid neurological condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and an incomplete spinal cord injury. Alongside this, he also performs some psychiatric and Autism-related tasks.
During a recent trip to Walt Disney World, Florida, Forest got to meet lots of character favorites, including Mickey Mouse. And he was so comfortable hanging out with the Disney icon that he fell asleep.
Walt Disney World welcomes service animals in the parks along with guests with disabilities, specifying that: "Service animals must be under the control of the owner at all times and should remain on a leash or in a harness."
Permitted in all four parks, there are a handful of locations they are restricted from but are generally welcomed throughout the parks and resort hotels.
"Forest always loves interacting with Disney characters and he works so hard at the parks," McGrady said. "They are long days! It really is a reward for him to get to meet them. But Mickey will always have a special place in our hearts, of course."
McGrady shared the heartwarming moment that Forest fell asleep with Mickey Mouse on TikTok and Instagram under the handle @radiantlygolden.
Online, people were delighted by the pooch's adorable reaction to the meeting. On TikTok, Melissa Jenkins said: "There's no tired like Disney tired!"
User Daniel Gutierrez said: "This made me tear up, Disney cast members are A1."
"Oh this made me tear up," said Renee. "Your dog knew Mickey was a good guy."
McGrady explained that being able to take Forest to Disney makes a huge difference to her experience. She also had some tips for others who might be looking to take their service dog to the parks.
"The reality is that while Disney Parks is incredibly accommodating, it is also one of the most challenging environments for a service dog to work in," she said.
"From people reaching out to pet without permission, crouching down to baby talk them, dropped food on the ground, loud noises—amusement parks in general offer a lot of distractions," said the dog owner. "Personally, we always brush up on his obedience training and training with a variety of distractions before we go on a Disney trip. I also recommend bringing a pair of dog boots to help protect their paws, a cooling coat, and plenty of water to keep them hydrated."
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.
About the writer
Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years ... Read more