After losing a loved one, it’s always good to think they’re still with you in some way and sending you signs. That doesn’t just apply to people though, as one woman was overcome with emotion when she spotted a sign from her senior rescue dogs who recently passed away.
Vanessa Brown, 37, sadly lost her soul dog Roxy, an Australian cattle dog mix in May 2023, who was 17 years old. She was then faced with more loss in May 2024 when her 14-year-old American Staffordshire terrier mix, Zoey, also passed away. The double loss hit her incredibly hard, and she reminded herself how loved and happy both dogs were after she rescued them.
During one particularly difficult day, Brown, of Evansville, Indiana, was driving home and was “dreading another evening without them,” but then she came across something extraordinary. She doesn’t normally “believe in signs,” but she looked up at the sky and noticed a huge cloud formation that looked just like her beloved Roxy.
“I’d had a rough day missing Roxy and Zoey that day. Even with Roxy’s death being over a year ago, the house still feels so strange without her and Zoey there to greet me,” Brown told Newsweek.
She continued: “When I saw the cloud, I had to do a double take. I felt a sense of peace that I hadn’t previously been feeling. It wasn’t uncommon for me to have spells of being extremely sad about Roxy and Zoey, and I was crying on the drive thinking about how much I missed them right before seeing the cloud.”
@d0glady / TikTok
In that moment, Brown pulled the car over and snapped a photo of the sky so she could remember it. She shared the image on TikTok (@d0glady) in early August and it left plenty of users in tears, leading to more than 33,500 views and 5,000 likes.
Layered over the image of the cloud formation, she wrote: “I love you with every piece of me. Always.”
As a foster care coordinator for a nonprofit animal shelter, Brown has found it helpful to channel her grief through work. She gave Roxy and Zoey a forever home, and now she tries to ensure that as many pets in her shelter can be just as fortunate.
“Roxy and Zoey had the luxury of having a safe and loving home until the very end—something not many dogs get. I cope with their loss by dedicating extra time and attention to the senior pets that come through our shelter as I love the older animals who are often overlooked,” she told Newsweek.
Brown said that the cloud formation was the most direct sign she’s experienced since their loss, and it helped her feel “more at peace with their absence.” Witnessing that cloud allowed her to believe that Roxy and Zoey “are happy wherever they are.”
@d0glady / TikTok
Brown has been amazed by the love and support she received online since posting the photo, as many fellow pet owners shared their own experiences with heartbreaking pet loss.
“Losing them is heartbreaking, but I would never take back all those years together and all the joy they brought our family,” Brown said. “If there’s anything I want people to take from this, it’s just how much an animal can change your life. There are millions of pets in shelters waiting for someone to love them, they just need a chance.”
TikTok Users React
The TikTok post has generated over 370 comments so far, as many people offered their support and condolences.
One TikTok user wrote: “they will be there waiting for you when you get there.”
Another posted: “Oh there are signs everywhere if we are awake! Your pups thought you needed a BIG sign.”
While a third user added: “Now see, they are okay. I know you are not. But, I believe they are safe, until you meet again.”
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