Tears At 86-Year-Old's Kind Gesture To Neighbor's Dog Who Just Had Surgery

An elderly woman braved wet and windy conditions to ensure her neighbor's dog got home as quickly as possible after undergoing surgery.

Jackie Libertiny, from Hoboken, New Jersey, loves her dog Charlie. "I began fostering him in the spring of 2020," she told Newsweek. "He was 7 years old at the time."

Libertiny didn't know it yet, but she was about to save Charlie's life. "After fostering him for 3 months, the shelter let me know that no one wanted to adopt him so they were likely going to place him on the euthanasia list," she said. "When I found out he would likely be put down, I ended up adopting him."

He's been by her side ever since. "Charlie is a really happy guy," she revealed. "He loves snuggling on the couch, playing with toys and eating treats."

Charlie has another admirer too, in the shape of Libertiny's 86-year-old neighbor AJ—and the feeling is definitely mutual.

Owning a dog might be a long-term commitment but it's undoubtedly a rewarding one. Having a dog encourages regular, gentle exercise, but the positives go beyond the physical side of things.

This was highlighted by a 2019 study published in the journal Animals, which sought to investigate whether interacting with a dog provided a positive boost to mood and anxiety.

To test the theory, a group of university students were asked to either watch videos of a dog or interact directly with a canine. Participants completed questionnaires before and after to effectively measure mood and anxiety levels.

The results indicated a reduction in stress levels and improvement in mood among those who watched the dog clips or interacted with a canine. However, the most significant improvements in mood and anxiety levels were recorded among those who interacted with the dogs directly.

AJ's relationship with Libertiny and Charlie began during the COVID lockdown.

"We have been neighbors for years, but never interacted because I was always working in New York City at an office and then I was working from home like everyone else at that time," Libertiny said.

That all changed during the pandemic with AJ regularly joining them for walks around New Jersey. "We were acquaintances but as we walked together a few times per week, we became very close," Libertiny said. "I consider AJ one of my best friends."

Yet if there's one person who likes AJ even more than Libertiny, it's Charlie, who has struck up a special friendship with their elderly neighbor.

"AJ and Charlie absolutely adore each other," Libertiny said. "Charlie prefers humans over dogs in general, but his bond with AJ is truly adorable. Charlie is known to stop at AJ's house to see if she's home and he will also drag me down the street running if he sees her so he can greet her. He really loves AJ and she loves him too."

The relationship is one that suits AJ who, as Libertiny puts it, loves dogs but acknowledges they are "too much work for her at this point in her life."

"She loves that she can have the perks of having a dog without all of the work," she said. Even so, AJ is a great friend to Libertiny and Charlie and exactly the kind of pal you want in an emergency.

Proof of that came after Charlie had to undergo surgery. Throughout the day leading up to the operation, AJ was in contact with Libertiny asking how her dog friend was doing. Then, when it came time for Charlie to head home to recuperate, AJ stood outside in the pouring rain to ensure Libertiny could get a parking spot and get her dog inside as soon as possible.

It was a gesture that blew Libertiny away. So much so, in fact, she decided to share a video of it to TikTok under the handle @jackie.lib. It had been a complete surprise and one that left Libertiny truly touched. She wasn't the only one struck by AJ's kindness either.

"What a sweet soul she is," one user commented on TikTok. "Good neighbors truly make a place feel like home," another added. A third commented: "You two mean the world to her. It shows how she cares for you all."

A day after they returned home and with Charlie starting to feel better, Libertiny visited AJ with flowers to say thank you. They then headed inside for cuddles and a picture together.

Libertiny saved Charlie's life all those years ago—and what a life it is.