Forest, a golden retriever who works as a service dog, has had a wonderful reunion with Pluto, his favorite Disney character during a cruise. In a touching video posted on TikTok by Ashton McGrady, Forest’s human companion, the dog is ecstatic, playing and snuggling with Pluto.
The animal also holds a stuffed toy of the dog character. This figure, which is a new addition to his collection, represents Pluto dressed as a sailor, and Pluto himself played with it during the encounter. “It was a really tender and beautiful moment,” McGrady told PEOPLE magazine.
McGrady and Forest’s recent visit was part of the Disney Creators Lab, which included a three-night stay on a cruise ship after a four-day trip through the Disney parks. McGrady said the experience was wonderful and that Forest especially enjoyed her time on Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island, where she was able to play in the water.
Forest’s passion for Pluto began in 2021 during an encounter at Disney World, and since then, they have had “many encounters,” according to McGrady. “Either we intentionally look for Pluto to say hello, or he looks for us,” he told the publication.
On one occasion, Pluto even stopped participating in the Festival of Fantasy parade at Disney World to come up and say hello to Forest. But he is not the only Disney character that he has met throughout his life: he has also had the pleasure of being with Mickey Mouse, although Forest ended up falling asleep.
The woman, a Nashville resident and Forest’s friend since March 2020, has described her dog as an “absolute clown” who is “very goofy and happy, and extremely loyal and loving.” Forest has been a great help to her throughout this time to “become more independent,” as she has Gitelman syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, POTS, autism, and an inoperable spinal cord cyst.
