Abused Rescue Dog Has Unexpected Reaction When Taken to Dog Park

A social-media video of a rescued Belgian Malinois dog mingling with several other canines at a park has warmed hearts across the internet.

The newly viral TikTok clip was shared on March 25 by @GoIndianaBones. It captures the surprising moment when Indy, a 6-year-old dog from LA, chooses to play with solely unfixed male dogs at the busy dog park. The video with 1.9 million views has been captioned: "She's a flirt."

"Indy is a rescue Malinois from the Los Angeles city shelter, Los Angeles City East Valley Animal Shelter," Indy's owner, Andrea Begazo, told Newsweek.

"She was abused for breeding purposes, which led to her developing hip dysplasia and gaining a large amount of weight. After that, she was abandoned. She is not an energetic Malinois, but she is very loving by nature," she added.

Those who intentionally abuse animals are predominantly men under the age of 30, according to the Humane Society of the United States. Those involved in animal hoarding are more likely to be women over 60.

Begazo went on to share that the pup was physically abused, which led to her fearing aggressive behavior. In total, Indy had spent four months in the LA-based shelter before her family adopted her in late 2021.

Indy had entered the shelter as a stray with no front teeth, which her owner thinks was because of her chewing on chains or from prior abuse. The pup was also missing fur on her elbows and suffered from post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD), making her fear reactivity and present as anxious. Indy would frequently self-harm.

What Do the Comments Say?

While some users gushed over Indy's new friendships, the video stirred up concern in others.

"The snappin turla just wants a boyfriend," one user wrote, while another added: "My reactive dog loves her the unfixed boys too."

"Ah yes, unfixed off leash dogs everywhere I'm sure nothing bad will happen," a third user wrote sarcastically.

Another posted: "The first mistake was going to a dog park. Especially with that many people and dogs."

The social-media account managed by Indy's owner, Begazo, has amassed over 110,000 TikTok followers to date by sharing snippets of Indy's daily life. Begazo said that she aims to raise awareness for rescue dogs and encourage other people to adopt animals in need of caring homes.

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.