Many pet owners know, that dogs truly become a part of the family. So much so, that we would do almost anything to keep them happy. And when your precious pet begins to grow old, you really learn how far you would go for them.

That’s what happened to Tom Antonio, a resident of Georgia.

Recently, a photo of him and his 16-year old Retriever made the rounds on social media, gathering 50 Thousand shares on Facebook.

What’s so special about the picture?

In this famous picture, you see Tom and his dog, Cocoa, taking a trip to the beach together. What stands out to so many people is the way that Tom is getting Cocoa to the beach.

In this picture, Cocoa rides on a mobile bed. It’s a bed, decked out with blankets, sitting on wheels so Tom can carry his sweet pooch to the beach.

It was one of their last walks together.

16 is pretty old for a dog. Although Cocoa was once difficult to keep on a leash, she began to have difficulty walking as she grew older. Cocoa loved going to the beach, but it became harder with age. Tom knew his beloved dog was going to die soon, so he wanted to make sure she lived out her days in as much comfort and joy as possible.

Tom came up with an idea to help Cocoa.

Tom and his wife devised a plan to help Cocoa age in style. He explained in an interview with WTKR News:

“My wife and I, we came up with a way to, with a mechanics creeper and stuff like that to take her [Cocoa] for walks. We had a rope and a bed, and we’d bring her out.”

Although she couldn’t walk anymore, Cocoa got to see all her favorite sights.

Tom and Coco spent her final months going everywhere together. Despite her newfound handicap, Cocoa was able to watch sunsets at the Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach, and go to the dog park. Tom helped her do all her favorite things, and made sure that she was living it up.

Cocoa has passed away now, but the photo of her and Tom pulled at the heartstrings.

One day, when Tom and Cocoa were walking around Virginia Beach, a woman stopped him to take a photo. She then posted it on Facebook. This story of Tom pulling out all the stops for his dog touched a lot of people, and became instantly popular on social media.

Tom does not have Facebook, so he had no clue how much people loved the sight of him and his pup. When his brother-in-law reached out to tell him the news, he responded:

“It hit a chord with people, that the bond we have with our dogs and our pets, it’s strong.”

Cocoa and Tom’s story is a reminder of how special our bond with our dogs is.

Pets are so important to many of us, and it brings a lot of people comfort to see someone like Tom doing everything they can to give their dog a good life up until the end. Even after they die, animal stick with us, and we always have their memories to cherish.

Watch the video below to see a sweet tribute to Cocoa.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: WTKR News 3, People