Man’s best friend is feeling the loneliness of self-isolation.
On Wednesday, an undeniably sad snapshot of a bulldog went viral, with commenters crying out that they would volunteer to comfort the lonely pet. That dog is named Big Poppa, and in the photo, he sits plopped down on his sunny patio, appearing obviously disheartened that he can’t play with humans while social distancing during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“All I want to do is play with the kids in my building but due to covid-19 … I can’t,” reads the caption on Instagram. “I just watch them from the patio. Flatten The Curve please.”
As the picture made rounds on social media, countless admirers rallied behind Big Poppa, saying they’d show the lonely pet some affection if they could.
“I will find a cure myself if it means seeing Big Poppa smile again,” wrote the WeRateDogs account on Twitter, as author Roxane Gay tweeted, “I am not a dog person but I have thought about Big Poppa all day.”
Even Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams revealed herself to be a Big Poppa die-hard on Twitter, writing: “not being dramatic but I would literally die for big poppa.”
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Big Poppa’s owner Rae Elle of Atlanta, Georgia, posted her pup on social media, offering more glimpses at the dog’s quarantine life — including an adorably too-small lounging bed on his patio for people-watching.
“I bought Poppa a new bed during lockdown. It arrived too small but he wouldn’t get out of it,” wrote Rae Elle on Twitter, sharing a video of Big Poppa resting in the undersized gift.
Speaking out to his new fans, Big Poppa wrote on Instagram that he “can’t wait” to see people after the stay-at-home protocols are lifted.
“Hi Instagram. Thanks for the love, I’ve never thought i would have so many new friends,” reads one Instagram caption. “I cant wait to meet some of you after Quarantine. Xoxo Big Poppa.”
In another photo from this week, the bulldog enjoys a walk, but gazes longingly through a chain-link fence, looking for humans he can’t let pet him for the time being. “Looking for Children to play with,” reads the caption.
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