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Boy breaks down crying after learning his new puppy was a gift from his late father

47-year-old Joe was allergic to dogs, so he knew exactly what to get his son for when he wasn't around anymore.

via Inside Edition/YouTube andWZZM13
Boy moved to tears after learning his new puppy was a gift from his recently deceased father

For some people, when they come face to face with death, they begin to think a lot about their legacy and what they'll leave behind. Others worry about who will take care of their family and loved ones with them gone. Some people film videos or write cards for birthdays and other special occasions ahead of time, while others opt for even bigger and more emotional gestures and posthumous gifts.

On January 8, 2020, 47-year-old Joe Kavaluskis lost his nine-year battle with multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer. He left behind a wife and two sons after his passing. But that didn't stop him from fulfilling one of his son's dreams a week later on his 13th birthday.

In the final days of his life, he told his wife, Melanie, to buy their son, Logan, a puppy after he passed. He thought the dog would brighten his spirits after such a loss and it was something he always wanted but couldn't have. Joe was allergic to dogs so he couldn't have one in the home.

kids, puppies, dogs, animals, pets, cancer, death, fathers, dads, family, love, heartwarming The boy's father was allergic to dogs, so they never could keep one in their home. Photo by IgorTheGoodBoy on IG — Boston Terrier on Unsplash

"He said, 'Just promise that when I do pass, that you get Logan a puppy as soon as you can, because I know that it will bring him a lot of comfort,'" Melanie Kavaluskis told Inside Edition.

Throughout his childhood, Logan had hermit crabs and lizards, but never the puppy he always wanted. When he was 3 years old he got a stuffed Boston terrier and named it Puppers and took it everywhere he went for years.

Joe thought it was the right time for his son to have a real Boston terrier of his own.

A week after Joe's passing, Melanie told her son Logan they had to drive to Midland, Michigan to pick up a puppy, but he had no idea it was a gift for him. Halfway through the drive home, his cousin Jon broke the news.

"That's from your dad. That's your dog," Jon told an astonished Logan. "Really?" Logan replied.

The 13-year-old boy looked down at the dog and he still couldn't believe it was his. "'Dad wanted you to have a puppy," his cousin said.

Best of all, the boy's emotional reaction to the news was captured on video, making for a truly incredible moment and memory for the still-grieving family.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

The pain of the loss is still fresh for Logan in the video, and you can see the exact moment his emotions come spilling out. It's incredibly powerful.

"Words can't explain the shock," Logan later told WZZM13. "I had to ask 'really?' again, just to make sure it was my dog and not a horrid prank."

The family has named the dog Indy and Logan says he's a great fit for the family.

kids, puppies, dogs, animals, pets, cancer, death, fathers, dads, family, love, heartwarming A Boston Terrier can't replace a dad, but it can help. Photo by Kindred Hues Photography on Unsplash

"He fits to all of our needs. Cuddles with my mom and my brother and plays with me, unless I want him to relax," Logan said.

Melanie thinks that her husband's final gesture may have been his best.

"He got it right. This was amazing. This gift is just perfect. Perfect timing," she said.

The Inside Edition coverage of the story was viewed over 6 million times on YouTube. Commenters from all over the globe chimed in to share how much the story meant to them.

"Imagine your dad's last day on earth last ever wish was to make his son happy, im never taking my dad for granted ever again"

"You can tell he’s a very sweet appreciative kid. Mom and Dad did a good job raising him."

"Imagine your dads dying wish to be for you to have the one thing you couldn’t have when he was here"

"He had the most caring father, dedicating his last wish to his son. What an amazing person."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Joe's gesture may have done more than just cheer up his son. Research shows that pets can be a big help for kids who are grieving.

"Pets can help improve mood," said Gina McDowell, a licensed professional clinical counselor and behavioral health clinical educator at the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, in a Huffington Post article.

"Playing with pets often creates positive emotions that can last throughout the day and may even help manage symptoms of anxiety and depression," she continued.

It has to be terribly frustrating to be suffering from a terminal disease knowing you'll be unable to comfort your children when you're gone. But Joe did one of the most beautiful things imaginable by fulfilling one of his son's dreams while also giving him a way to cope in a time of need.

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

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Study finds pets are worth $90,000 a year in happiness, almost exactly the same as a spouse

Wait, does that mean getting a dog is the same as getting married?

Cecily Knobler

A woman marries her dog.

It's not often we think of "life satisfaction" in terms of a number. But in a world where it would seem everything has a currency attached to it, having a pet is worth quite a lot.

Obviously, any animal lover will tell you that having a pet companion is priceless. But, according to a study published in the Social Indicators Research Journal (which surveyed 2,500 British households), researchers Michael W. Gmeiner and Adelina Gschwandtner surmised that having a pet companion actually does have a quantitative financial value.

In an article for CNN, author Issy Ronald explains that this study "concludes that having an animal companion is worth up to £70,000 ($90,000) a year in life satisfaction—a metric economists use to quantify the 'implicit price' of otherwise intangible things."

What's even more interesting? The study finds that dollar (pound) amount is relatively the same as the financial "worth" of having a spouse or "meeting up with friends and relatives regularly."

But how? The researchers explain, "Economists have relatively recently developed ‘the life satisfaction approach’ to assess the size of the effect of different factors on life satisfaction. The process involves using simple regression analysis to determine the implicit price of different factors or occurrences in life." Citing many different studies, they determine how to put a monetary value on what otherwise might seem immeasurable.

Now let's bust out some math. Using the equation U = V (P,Y,A), they explain: "U here is utility, P is the price of the marketable good (such as housing), Y is the numeraire (income), and A is the level of the good or amenity (e.g., scenery, or pet companionship in our case)." The equations get much longer and more complicated than that. (And unless you just emerged from a calculus class and/or have had loads of coffee this morning, it might be a bit much.)

cats, dogs, pets, companionship, value A cat poses for the camera. Photo by little plant on Unsplash

But the basic idea is: the equation determines the actual value that a pet brings to your overall life. For example, having a dog might get you on neighborhood walks, which is good exercise and could help you make friends. This adds value to your life, which translates into theoretical income.

This idea has inspired fabulous memes on social media. On Instagram alone, the comments are sweet—and some a little cutting for the married folks. One commenter writes, "To be honest, it’s probably better. Dogs love unconditionally, are super loyal, match your energy, and give some great comedic relief."

Another goes even further to say, "The love I felt for my dog was pure. I've never felt that level of moment-by-moment joy with anyone. I love my hubby, but my pup made me literally feel like I met an angel full of love and light that wanted to live with me."

One person joked that comparing the worth of a pet to a spouse is impossible: "That’s an insult to all dogs."

The cat owners were relatively quiet on the matter on social media, but knowing many feline lovers, it's assured that most of them feel the same way.

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Stray dog in Istanbul saves her dying puppy’s life by bringing it straight to the veterinarian

Motherly instinct and a trust in humans saved her puppy's life.

@beylikduzu_alfa_veteriner

A stray dog brought her lifeless puppy to the doorstep of a local veterinarian clinic, saving its life.

Back in January of 2025, in the Beylikdüzü district in Istanbul, heartbreaking security camera footage showed a stray dog holding a puppy in its mouth and bringing it to the doorstep of a local veterinary clinic. The veterinarian that answered the door found the puppy lifeless, and immediately took it in while the pup’s mother followed.

The puppy was dying from a slow heartbeat due to the cold outside, but the vets rushed to give it emergency treatment. Throughout the procedure, the mother dog stayed by her little one’s side. Thanks to quick action and care, the pup survived, and is being cared for at the clinic alongside its mother.

Turns out—this puppy as actually related to another puppy brought in earlier by some animal lovers who believed it to be the sole survivor of its litter…resulting in an unexpected and touching family reunion.

"We thought all of them had died. It turns out there was one sibling that survived,” said veterinarian and clinic owner, Baturalp Oğhan in an interview. “When our technician noticed the situation, he brought it inside. We realized the puppy's heart was beating. We placed it in intensive care. It is currently continuing treatment with its sibling."

dogs, dog stories, vet, veterinarian, feel good stories, positive news, istanbul, puppies Mama dod staying with her babe as the veterinarian administered treatment. @beylikduzu_alfa_veteriner

While it is unfortunate that the rest of the litter had passed, this mother dog’s actions not only saved one of her pups but had reunited her with another one.

According to World Population Review, there is a pet dog in 30% of all households globally. There are 90 million pet dogs housed in the United States alone. Bear in mind, that's counting the dogs that are housed and cared for by humans. Just imagine how many dogs are still out there like that mother dog, along with the number of dogs that sadly didn’t make it like that lucky puppy.

dogs, dog stories, vet, veterinarian, feel good stories, positive news, istanbul, puppies The recovering siblings sharing a meal together. @beylikduzu_alfa_veteriner

While it is remarkable that this mother dog, out of memory, instinct, desperation, or a combination of those traits took her puppy to the clinic, the onus cannot be on dogs themselves to receive the help and care they need. Fortunately, there are several animal shelters and clinics that can help care for these animals, but they still need to find ways to get there. Not all of them have smart dog mothers that can get them to a helpful human vet.

dogs, dog stories, vet, veterinarian, feel good stories, positive news, istanbul, puppies Puppy sleeping with mama dog@beylikduzu_alfa_veteriner

If you wish to help out a stray animal, such as a dog or cat, there are some steps you can take to be prepared if the situation presents itself. The Humane Society has a bunch of quality tips, such as keeping your car with supplies like fresh water, bowls, pet food, heavy blankets, etc., to keep the animal comfortable while waiting for animal control to arrive at the scene or if you choose to transport them yourself to a nearby shelter. Before you stock up, you should research to see if there are any state or local laws regarding housing lost or stray animals to make sure you’re following the legal methods.

We share a lot of space with “man’s best friend” and the least we can do is be a best friend back to them, especially when they’re in need.

This article originally appeared in January.

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Four guys asked their new neighbor if they could walk her dog. Then the dog wrote back.

"If you ever get bored, we are more than happy to look after him/her."

via Stevieticks / Instagram

A black dog and a note form "the boys from number 23."

If you've lived your whole life with a dog, a home has to feel pretty empty without one. Your heart has to feel like there's something missing as well. When Jack McCrossan, originally from Scotland, moved to Bristol, England with his three friends, they were bummed out to learn that their landlord didn't allow dogs.

So when they saw a beautiful black Sheprador (a German Sheppard Lab mix) in their neighbor's window, they knew that had to become buddies with her. They wrote the dog's owner, Sarah Tolman, a letter asking to arrange a play date with the dog. "If you ever need someone to walk him/her, we will gladly do so," they wrote.

"If you ever get bored (we know you never will, but we can dream), we are more than happy to look after him/her. If you want to come over and bring him/her to brighten our day, you are more than welcome. If you want to walk past our balcony windows so we can see him/her, please do," the letter continued.


"We hope this doesn't come too strong, but our landlord won't allow pets, and we've all grown up with animals. The adult life is a struggle without one," they wrote. "Yours sincerely, The boys from number 23," the letter concluded.

Soon after, the boys in 23 received a response from the dog herself, Stevie Ticks, accepting the offer. However, it may have been written by her human, Sarah Tolman. In the letter, Stevie shares a bit about herself, saying she's two years and four months old, was adopted in Cyprus, and that she's "very friendly and full of beans." (The boys shouldn't worry about a gassy hound, in England, "full of beans" means lively.)


"I love meeting new people and it would be great if we can be friends. I must warn you that the price of my friendship is 5 x ball throws a day and belly scratches whenever I demand them," the letter continued. A few days later, the boys got to meet Stevie. "Meeting Stevie was great!" McCrossan told Buzzfeed. "She was definitely as energetic as described. We got to take her for a walk and she wouldn't stop running!"

black labrador, dogs, dog-walkers, kind nieghbors, stevieticks, bristol, uk A black labrador (representative image).via Canva/Photos

Tolman thought the boys' letter was a fantastic gesture in an era where, quote often, neighbors are strangers. "In a day and age where people don't really know or speak to their neighbors, it was really nice for them to break down that barrier," she said. After the story went viral, she saw it as an opportunity for people to share their love of dogs with the world. "My mother and I are amazed at all the love we've received from around the world these past few days," Tolman wrote as Stevie. "If you have a doggo in your life, share that love with those around you."

A lot has changed in the past 6 years since this story warmed hearts around the globe. The boys have since moved away, but as of September 2024, Stevie is around 8 years old and still doing well. Her keeper and Sarah's partner, Chris Bowley, shared an update on Instagram. "[The boys] sadly moved out of Bristol. However, we have always tried to keep the ethos going of Stevie having as many friends and meetups as possible," Bowley wrote.


This article originally appeared six years ago.

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