Elderly man in Italy walks his disabled dog Dylan several times a day, using a cart and lots of love
While near her home in Italy, Sabrina la Grotteria witnessed a scene that touched her heart. And soon it touched the hearts of thousands of people around the world as well, when a video went viral on social media.
On a quiet street in the town of Vibo Valentia, there was an elderly man pushing his dog in a cart, the dog apparently unable to move on its own. Sabrina began filming when the couple returned home from a walk.
Although the video is short and shot from afar, this snapshot of his daily routine and the man’s dedication to helping the dog cope with his handicap.
Elderly man walks his disabled dog
Sabrina told The Dodo:
“I was so moved that I decided to post it on Facebook.”
The tender and moving scene has gone viral. In no time, the video of the man and the dog has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times, making headlines across the country as a gesture of love.
Sabrina shared the video with the following description:
“This video contains a word ‘humanity’.”
Although Sabrina does not know this couple, local media have been able to track them down for their story. The man, named Tonino Vitale, has been walking his 13-year-old dog Dylan in the same manner every day since he lost the use of his hind limbs due to arthritis.
Dylan is an elderly Labrador with a severe form of arthritis, who cannot move his hind legs, with difficulty moving his front legs. He has a weak heart, labored breathing. Even barking, expressing his emotions, is so exhausting for him. But Tonino takes care of it.
Tonino takes care of Dylan on a daily basis. He takes him out of the house, morning and afternoon, when the sun is cooler, he picks up Dylan, puts him in a metal cart, and takes him around the block, every day. .
The man wants his friend to live in peace as long as he has left. And he wants to be close to him, just like Dylan has been by his side, in the most difficult times of his life.
Tonino loves his dog Dylan
Tonino was surprised to learn that many people were moved by watching the video, but he hopes it sends a message.
He told Il Vibonese newspaper:
“With Dylan, it was love at first sight, since his birth. It’s a normal gesture for us to love Dylan, but we’re happy to be able to tell his story. It is a way of making people aware of the importance of respecting animals.”
In the following video we can see Tonino in an interview with LaC TV (in Italian).
These images have allowed us to know this beautiful love story between a sick dog and a man, a story in a world where the abuse and abandonment of animals is more frequent.
Tonino added:
“What I’m doing for him is normal, it’s nothing special, it’s just out of love.”