Watch 'Bittersweet' Montage of Shelter Dogs Saying Goodbye After Adoption

A social-media video that shows a group of dogs bidding farewell to a well-loved employee at their animal-rescue shelter after being adopted has warmed hearts across the internet.

The June 23 viral video captured the happy group all standing up to greet and lick the employee that they'd grown so fond of before leaving with their new families. Audiences were jokingly encouraged by the video's creator, Shelter Mommy, to pick their favorite pup in the comments section below the post.

"I work at the animal shelter, and this video was some of the dogs stopping by to say goodbye to me as they were leaving for their new homes," the shelter employee, who has not revealed her identity, told Newsweek. "It's always so bittersweet when they leave. We are always so happy for them, but sad knowing we won't see them everyday," she added. The video had been captioned: "Goodbyes are so bittersweet."

The heartwarming video of the dogs leaving for brighter futures provides some much-needed respite at a time when pet abandonment continues to be a serious issue in the U.S. and further afield.

Each year across the country, 6.3 million pets are surrendered to animal rescue shelters, according to statistics published by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). This works out as 17,260 animals every day. Shelters continue to be overwhelmed by the rising demand for care.

What Do the Comments Say?

Since it was shared to the social-media platform by @wellbehaved1, who has titled herself Shelter Mommy in the account's bio, the TikTok post has been viewed more than 12.5 million times. More than 2.5 million users have liked the post, while more than 134,000 users have gushed over the adorable moments captioned in its comments section.

"Seeing a Rottweiler getting rehomed just hits different for me. Thank you for finding perfect homes for these babies," one user wrote.

"I'd be a big ball of happy tears saying bye to these babies," another added.

"All of them are like 'thank you for seeing and saving me,'" a third commented.

Another TikTok user posted: "It's like they're saying thank you."

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.