Viral photo of boy crying, holding his dog that has to be put down will give you all the feels

A photo of a young boy crying while holding his dog that must be put to sleep has gone viral, and it will give you all the feels.

The story behind the young boy is even more heartwarming.

Maria Henry Gay posted a photo of her son to her Facebook page along with a story about why young Robbie loves adopting senior dogs. After reading the story, you’ll know why it went viral.

The family found out their dog Buffy had advanced kidney failure after going in for a routine teeth cleaning. The family decided “the kindest and most loving thing to do would be to let her go before she lost her will to live and stopped eating and drinking.”

Maria’s son Robbie was a part of the decision and asked his mom if he could be the one to hold Buffy when she went to heaven.

Robbie’s response to the news according to the post was, “I know how it feels not to be loved or cared for and I don't want any animal of mine to ever feel that way. It's only sad for us when they go to heaven. It's a happy day for them. Thank you for being proud of me. Are you ok, Mom?"

After the post went viral, Maria added more detail to the post to help readers understand Robbie’s feelings.

The post continued, “As our story is being shared more and more, I feel like I need to add a little more context and also give you a deeper glimpse into the heart of my son. We adopt senior dogs. Robbie LOVES adopting senior dogs. He is sadly aware the longer a child remains in foster care the less likely they are to be adopted. He told me once ‘if all you guys had wanted was a baby, you would have never gotten me.’ He relates to our ‘old people’ (that's what we call our senior dogs) in much the same way. He has also reminded me on several occasions that it doesn't matter how long you have something for how much you love it. I asked him what he meant and he said ‘well you've only known me for two years but you love me like it's been forever.’ Yes, my son is the coolest.”

Robbie, you’re wise beyond your years. We’re sorry for your loss.