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Service dogs deserve vacations, too.

Service dogs are professionals who are trained to be attentive, helpful and extremely well-behaved for their owners who rely on them for everyday living. They aren't easily distracted and have solid control over their impulses because their job performance is vital to humans who need them. No one wants a service dog going rogue.

But underneath all of that self-control and professionalism, service dogs are still dogs, as an adorable reunion on a Disney cruise ship makes delightfully clear.

pluto, dog, disney, disney cruise, disney character Who doesn't love Pluto? Giphy GIF by de Wannebiezz

Ashton McGrady is a content creator who shares her adventures with her Golden Retriever service dog, Forest, who has an affinity for Disney characters. In one video, she shows Forest choosing his own stuffy at a Disney gift shop, even putting the money on the counter to pay for it himself. But another video of Forest being reunited with his favorite character, Pluto, has people the world over feeling his joy vicariously.

Watch:

@radiantlygolden

proof that distance won’t keep the very best of friends apart ❤️🚢✨ we love you pluto!!! #servicedog #servicedogteam #disneytiktok #disneycruiseline #disneycruise #hostedbydisney

Ashton calls Forest her "best pal and lifesaver," and it's clear from her videos that they make a great team. People loved seeing the good doggo get to let loose and enjoy a romp with Pluto and how the cast member interacted with him as well.

"Those dogs are such good pups and work so hard to keep their owners safe, it’s nice to see them play for a bit ❤️"

"This is the most golden retriever golden I’ve ever seen 🥰🥰🥰"

"i just know the actor under the costume was having the best day ever."

pluto, dog, disney, disney cruise, disney character Pluto agrees. Giphy

"DID PLUTO WAG HIS OWN TAIL??? This is the best thing I’ve seen all day"

"It's like the Disney hug rule applies to dogs...but it's play with them until they are done."

The "Disney hug rule" referenced here is an apparently unofficial "rule" that DIsney cast members when dressed in character don't end a child's hug until the child let's go—basically letting the child hug the character as long as they want to. It's not an actual rule, but it's a thoughtful practice some cast members use to make sure their young guests don't leave a character meet disappointed.

For Forest, the equivalent is playing until he (or his owner—he's on the job, after all) decides he's done.

This isn't the first time Forest has had a touching reunion with Pluto. Ashton shared another video with a similar interaction—it's clear that Pluto truly is Forest's bestie.

@radiantlygolden

I just want to go back to this moment 🥹 if you’re friends with pluto and you see this, you made our entire day ♥️ #waltdisneyworld #wdw50 #epcotfestivalofthearts #festivalofthearts #epcot #charactermeetandgreet #disneytiktok #distok #servicedog #servicedogteam #servicedogsatdisney

Ashton also uses social media to educate people about service dogs, as there are a lot of misunderstandings out there about what service animals are, how they work, and where they are allowed to be.

Though service dogs and their owners will often naturally form a bond, a service dog is not a pet; it's a working animal that assists a person with disabilities or health conditions. In fact, service animals are considered medical equipment, in the same category as a wheelchair or an oxygen tank, and they are allowed to go anywhere the person they are serving would normally be allowed to go—even if other animals are not allowed. As the Americans with Disabilities Act website states: "Under the ADA, State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is allowed to go."

Service dogs are sometimes confused with emotional support animals, but they are not the same thing. Service animals are trained to do specific tasks related to mitigating a person's disability, which could range from recognizing when their owner is needing medical attention to reminding them to take a medication to guiding them around an obstacle or across a street.

@radiantlygolden

If a business is not pet-friendly, they may only ask these TWO questions! note: “emotional support” is NOT considered a valid answer to question 2. thank you @Disney Parks for this great example of how it should be done. #servicedog #servicedoglife #servicedogteam #disabilitytiktok #disneyparks


There are some guidelines and laws that govern how the general public as well as private businesses should interact with service animals. First, no one should pet a service animal unless their handler specifically invites them to. Second, there are only two questions a business owner or their staff members are allowed to ask a person with a service dog: 1) Is the dog a service animal who is required because of a disability? And 2) What work or task has the dog been trained to perform? They are not allowed to ask for documentation, ask what disability the person has or ask that the dog demonstrate what they can do.

For people who need them, service animals like Forest are a vital part of living a full life. They are also working professionals who deserve a break now and then, so it's fun to see this good doggo having the time of his life with his buddy, Pluto.

You can follow Ashton on TikTok and YouTube.

This article originally appeared in January.

Friendship

Best friends, 88 and 92, experience Disneyland for the first time and their joy is contagious

Watch them hopping out of their wheelchairs to dance in New Orleans Square.

Photo courtesy of Disney

June and Ann felt the Disney magic on their first trip to Disneyland.

Good friends can come along at all ages and stages of our lives. While some friendships start early and blossom slowly, others arrive later—sometimes much later—and quickly burst into full bloom.

Ann was nearly 90 years old when she met her bestie, June, and their friendship blossomed instantly. Ann's son, Alonzo, started dating June's daughter, Lauria, three years ago, and the two moms have been inseparable since then. Now 88 and 92, June and Ann do pretty much everything together. "They've known each other almost as long as [Alonzo and I] have been together," says Lauria, "and they've been causing trouble ever since."

disneyland, disney park, disneyland resort, first trip to disneyland June, Lauria, Alonzo, and Ann enjoying The Happiest Place on Earth.Photo courtesy of Disney

Only good trouble, of course. June tells Upworthy that she and Ann are often told they look alike and they've grown to be more like sisters than just friends. "Our closeness in age allows us to do things together that the younger people wouldn't understand," she says, "like laughing at things we feel are funny or going to dinner, shopping, watching game shows and taking walks together."

And, apparently, hopping out of their wheelchairs to dance to the music in Disneyland's New Orleans Square. June and Ann recently took their first trip to Disneyland and the Disney magic didn't disappoint.

Watch how joyfully these two kicked up their heels with their kids:

June and Ann loved dancing in New Orleans Square.Video courtesy of Disney

"[Experiencing the Disneyland resort] was a wonderful, fun, and exciting experience," Ann tells Upworthy. "It exceeded my expectations and made my first visit to Disneyland a magical experience that I will never forget. I plan on returning for another visit if God is willing."

June says the kindness, patience, and laughter of the cast members stood out to her during their visit. "All the people were so kind to us and I will never forget how warm and happy and inviting they made me feel," she says.

Disney Perfect Loops GIF Giphy

Both of them said their favorite parts were dancing in New Orleans Square and taking a boat ride to see the animals. "We still laugh about all those animals," says June.

Disneyland is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2025, which means the children who first visited the park the year it opened are now well into retirement. But as we can see from June and Ann's joy, you're never too old to enjoy a little sprinkle of Tinkerbell's magic.

June and Ann's experience with employees—known as cast members—isn't unique. Part of what has made Disneyland such a special place for seven decades is the dedication of the people who work there. Cast members strive to ensure that every guest, no matter their age or how many times they've been to Disneyland, experiences the Disney magic and truly feels they've arrived at The Happiest Place on Earth.

In honor of its 70th year, Disneyland shared a video highlighting a handful of long-time cast members who have been welcoming guests for decades, including Disney's longest-serving cast member, Henry Ameen—affectionately known as Hank—who first started working at the park in 1958.

@disneyparks

At Disneyland, happiness is generational 🏰✨ Since 1955, more than 300,000 cast members have followed in Walt's footsteps to welcome guests to The Happiest Place on Earth, and we can’t wait for everyone to Celebrate Happy during our 70th anniversary.

Disneyland has earned the loyalty of cast members and guests alike since 1955 by honoring the imaginative child that lives in all of us. June and Ann are a delightful reminder that sharing joy with your favorite people is a big part of what makes Disneyland "The Happiest Place on Earth." Whether you're 9 or 92, friendship combined with a sprinkle of that mysterious Disney magic is the perfect recipe for unforgettable memories.

Family

Heroic dad jumps off Disney cruise ship to save his daughter after she falls from 4th deck

Onlookers held their collective breath waiting for the scene to unfold.

A parent would have done the same.

Sometimes, our worst nightmares happen during moments that should feel safe and joyous. They happen no matter how careful and methodical we are to try to prevent them, and when they do, all we can do is rely on our instincts and quick thinking.

For one father, that nightmare looked like watching his daughter falling overboard while on a Disney cruise.

On June 29, as reported by Newsweek and USA Today, the two were aboard the Disney Dream, which was returning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida after four days of sailing through the Bahamas. While it's unclear as to how the little girl fell off (though some suspected that the girl was sat on the railing to get a selfie) sources confirmed that the ship was moving, not docked, when she did fall from the fourth deck—making matters even more dire.

disney cruise ship, man jumps overboard disney cruise, man overboard, cruise ships, cruise ship stories Thank goodness this story has a happy ending.Photo credit: Canva

On the last day of our Dream voyage and it is an at Sea Day. A girl fell overboard from the 4th deck & her dad went in after her. Right after the incident we heard on the loud speaker MOB Port side!!...

The father did as many fathers would do. He jumped after her.

Over on social media, including a Disney Dream Cruise Ship Facebook group, people recalled the incident.

“Her dad went in after her,” one passenger aboard the ship wrote. “Right after the incident, we heard on the loudspeaker, ‘MOB [Man overboard] Port side!! Thankfully, the [Disney] rescue team was on it immediately and both were saved!”

Another fellow passenger shared video footage showing a life boat quickly coming to the rescue.

“We are committed to the safety and well-being of our guests," Disney Cruise Line wrote in a statement, "and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols.”

These safety protocols largely involve overboard detection systems utilizing thermal cameras and/or micro radars to notify crew of someone falling overboard almost immediately.

To put things into perspective, only one or two people go overboard each month out of roughly 2.5 million who cruise during the same time frame, and those numbers seem to be continuously dwindling, no doubt in part thanks to tech like this. But point being, these accidents remain super rare occurrences.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Obviously, it doesn’t make them any less scary—especially in this circumstance. Which made it all the more a relief that both the father and daughter were brought back to safety.

"That's terrifying!!! Thank goodness for the happy ending though,” one viewer wrote.

Still another said, “I praise the dad for his courage and bravery to save his daughter. She will be forever thankful. A father's love.”

Indeed, many, if not most parents would have similarly risked their lives in the same situation. But thankfully this act of bravery didn’t have to become a sacrifice.

Ever seen a deer give a cat a bath? It's quite a sight.

As humans have long kept domesticated pets, we often put our own furry friends in an entirely different category than the wildlife that lives around us. When we do think about our pets interacting with wild animals, it's usually in the context of them chasing birds or squirrels or us protecting them from predators that may pose a threat.

But once in a while we see a beautiful example of a cross-species friendship that stops us in our tracks. Maybe it's two unlikely animals that bonded as babies or a rescue situation that resulted in a close kinship. On rarer occasions, a purely organic wild-domestic connection forms, and we see the most heartwarming example of this in a viral Disney-esque moment between a deer and a housecat.

Sarah Stephens shared a video of a deer in her backyard in Nevada absolutely drenching her orange tabby with a tongue bath, and it's too adorable:


@ckls1622

Unlikely best friends 😂


That cat was taking that bath like she was having the greatest spa day of her life, and people went gaga over it.

"This cat is so happy, soaked and all. 😭😭"

"Sun baked cats smell like popcorn and this deer is here for it."

"What in the Disney is this?! 🥹💗 So lovely."

"Pixar just sleeping on this gold mine."

"Is that a lavender field with a wild deer licking an orange tabby cat??? This is what dreams are made of."

"She needed a baby to care for and kitty needed a momma bath. 🥰🥰"

deer mama, deer baby, baby animals A deer mama bathes her baby.Photo credit: Canva

"Deer is thinking maybe if i get in good with this mountain lion cub it will protect me when it get big. 😂😂😂"

"This is what I pay my internet and phone bills for. 😭"

Several people also found a deeper meaning in the video as they contemplated why different humans so often have a hard time getting along when such different animals can live in harmony.

"Why can’t we ALL get along like this deer and cat 🫶🏼"

"Moments like this or even my own dog or sons love make me quite spiritual, there is definitely a bond greater than ones self that we all share, now I’m not peddling religion here either, but there's definitely more than the primality of life."

"So strange….. why can’t we do the same? They are so different in every way. Yet loving and trusting. What is so wrong with us? 💔 This is beautiful. Feels like I’m watching such a deep and powerful analogy."


Some people also took the opportunity to point out how cats are special creatures with special powers over us all.

"Cats are superior and the universe was made for them."

"Cats will befriend any animal willing to clean their ears."

"Cats always have servants 🤣"

"I'm convinced that humans are not the only ones who think cats are adorable and always have to pet them in public."

"Cats are always doing husbandry with every species even us."

Apparently that deer was not the only one with an affinity for cats. In another video, a different deer nuzzled up to the kitty with some mutual love shown.

And here's the cat playfully sneaking up on a deer, solidifying the fact that these Nevada deer really are just part of the family to this friendly feline.

@ckls1622

Macky thinks she’s so funny 😂

Of course, wildlife can pose a danger to pets and vice versa, so this is certainly not an endorsement to let your animals roam freely in the wilderness. But we can certainly acknowledge and appreciate when a two creatures form an unlikely friendship, giving us an inspiring and adorable example of peaceful coexistence. And maybe even some spa-like pampering.

You can follow Sara Stephens (@ckls1622) on TikTok for more.