Woman’s message to owner who dumped dog next to highway in rain goes viral

A woman who discovered a terrified dog left on the side of a highway in the pouring rain has shared a message for the animal’s former owner.

The clip, posted by user @tessawyld, has amassed more than 825,000 views since May 2.

The video opens with footage of the black dog, now named Lucky, huddled beside the road in the pouring rain, visibly shaking and refusing to move as cars drive past.

“To the person who left her here, Lucky wanted me to tell you thank you,” states the caption.

The montage of videos showcasing the dog’s journey includes text explaining what has happened.

“You were thrown on the side of the highway left to get hit,” Tessa notes she was the only driver who stopped to help the scared dog.

“[Lucky] was a little hesitant at first,” she wrote in the caption. “But I could see it in her eyes that she knew I wanted to help her, and she decided to trust that I would.”

The dog, described as cowering and avoiding eye contact, appeared terrified. According to Oakland Animal Services in California, behaviors such as freezing in place, turning the head away, tucking the tail tightly, and moving slowly or cautiously are typical signs of extreme fear in canines—symptoms Lucky clearly displayed.

Tessa took the dog home and launched a public effort to find her owner. But what began as a rescue mission quickly turned into something far more personal.

“I found out from a local that her owners dumped her after trying to give her away,” she wrote in a follow-up post. “My heart shattered—how could you leave her like that?”

Despite the circumstances, Lucky was given a new lease on life. The video montage, soundtracked with emotional music, shows Lucky being introduced to Tessa’s other dog, a golden retriever, and gradually growing more comfortable.

Scenes show her sitting in the back of a car, relaxing on a couch, and beginning to play—small but significant milestones for a dog learning to trust again.

“The amazing thing about this is that now she’s mine,” Tessa wrote. “She’s learning how to love humans and dogs again. How to play, relax, and just be a dog in a loving forever home.”

The video has sparked widespread emotional reactions, receiving more than 80,000 likes and over 4,300 comments.

“They are the most loyal and innocent beings,” one viewer wrote. “How can some people do such horrible things to any animal? I will never understand. Thank you for saving her.”

Others expressed similar outrage: “The anger I have for people that do this to dogs,” one commenter said. Another added: “I love a great rescue story—which is probably why I have seven myself.”

Newsweek reached out to @tessawyld for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.

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