Dog Does the Unexpected After Escaping House: 'Streets Ain't for Me'

A dog who decided the "streets ain't for me" upon receiving the opportunity to run away from home has become an overnight social media star. Natalie DePersia, 24, faced a pet owner's worst nightmare when her dog escaped from the house. In a video shared on June 13, which has already racked up over 1.7 million views, DePersia (@nnatmdepersiaa) recorded herself laughing while in the car with her brother. While it's first unclear what she's laughing at, the camera then zooms in on their house's front door, wide open. It then settles on their Bernese mountain dog Cash, who has escaped from the house. But rather than taking off and exploring, Cash is sitting in the garden looking incredibly relaxed, and watching his owner—who appears close to tears with laughter. DePersia told Newsweek: "I was absolutely wheezing with laughter because the whole thing caught us completely off guard. My laugh does not normally sound that... interesting!"

"Living on a fairly busy road, it was surreal to see Cash lounging so nonchalantly in the sun, seemingly unfazed by everything around him. If we hadn't found him quickly, I would have been frantic, but at that moment, I couldn't help but find the situation utterly hilarious," she said. TikTok users reacted to their video in their droves, liking it a quarter of a million times, with one user commenting: "He said the streets ain't for me." "Cash knows better than to leave his lavish life," another said, another agreeing: "I'm for the sheets not the streets." And as one person wrote from Cash's perspective: "Why would I leave? All my stuff is here." DePersia, who was returning to her New Jersey home after collecting food, said she gave Cash ice cream as a treat "to show him how much we appreciate his loyalty." She added: "I'm amazed that so many others found it as funny as I did, especially considering they don't know Cash personally." "I am also not surprised that he didn't really take off anywhere. He has always been such a good boy—we never have to worry about him," she said. The aspiring fashion worker said her family, which includes brothers Robbie, Nicky and Mikey, and parents Janet and Robert, welcomed Cash into their home in 2019—after receiving the wrong dog. "Cash flew in from another state, and when we went to pick him up, we immediately noticed he looked nothing like his online picture. A vet visit confirmed that we had received a completely different dog," she told Newsweek "Despite the mix-up, we fell in love with Cash instantly and couldn't imagine sending him back. We often joke that he won the doggy lottery by ending up with us, enjoying a life he never saw coming."

Bernese mountain dogs are described as being sweet, affectionate and intelligent by the American Kennel Club. Gentle with children and a noted family dog, the breed is among the largest in the world, generally standing at between 23 to 28 inches and weighing up to 96 pounds. Describing her adored pet, DePersia said despite Berneses' usual aversion to water, "Cash is a total water dog." "He loves the pool and the ocean, often diving in solo to cool off. Every day with Cash is an adventure, and we're grateful for the joy he brings to our lives, even if he wasn't the dog we initially chose. He truly makes our family whole." Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.