They Knew Their Dog Was in His Last Days. So They Consulted a Psychic to Tell Them His Final Thoughts (Exclusive)

• Shea McCracken shared a deep bond with her family's Basset hound, Bosley

• McCracken, a 28-year-old psychology graduate student based in Newport Beach, Calif., recalls how Bosley was a stoic, mischievous, gentle and sweet dog

• But over the last few weeks, McCracken and her family watched as Bosley's quality of life began to decline

• After consulting with the vet, they agreed it was time to put him down. Then, two days before his appointment, McCracken proposed hiring a psychic to hear the 12-year-old dog's final thoughts

• During the session, McCracken recorded. Later, she posted the video to TikTok, where it went viral, amassing more than 1.6 million views

Shea McCracken shared a deep bond with her family's Basset hound, Bosley. Some, she says, would even describe herself as "obsessed with him."

McCracken, a 28-year-old psychology graduate student based in Newport Beach, Calif., recalls how Bosley was a stoic, mischievous, gentle and sweet dog — loyal and a fighter from the start. Diagnosed with a heart murmur at just 4 months old, along with being the runt of his litter, Bosley always fought hard and never gave up.

"We called him the 'connector' because he would stare deep into your soul, either standing on your chest or tilting his head back while lying against you to meet your eyes," she tells PEOPLE exclusively. "He was just funny. I renamed him 'Donny' after a contestant on Big Brother that I loved — and I stuck to it for two years. He just felt like a Donny because he was so sweet and silly."

"One summer, we lived in Laguna Beach, and he and his brother would waddle down the hill to the beach at sunset every day," she adds. "They’d gallop when we let them off-leash. He loved Halloween — it was his favorite day because he adored the kids who came over in their costumes. We had a Dutch door, and he would climb up and sniff every child."

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But over the last few weeks, McCracken and her family watched as Bosley's quality of life began to decline. The family dog, 12 years old, could no longer make it down the stairs and had to be carried everywhere.

After consulting with the vet, they agreed it was time to put him down. While McCracken's dad was reluctant, knowing Bosley would hold on forever if he could, he understood it was the best decision for his beloved dog — and in no way premature.

Two days before his appointment, McCracken proposed an idea after coming across a TikTok video about a girl who had a session with a psychic to learn more about her cat's thoughts.

"It was a comical TikTok, but it made me think this would be so perfect to do before we lose the chance and can bring closure," she tells PEOPLE. "My parents were supportive. It was kind of a joke at first, then my mom followed up and asked if I had found one — I think the idea of it was impossible to resist."

"I was Googling animal communicators in Orange County because I wanted them to come in person," she adds. "After seeing no one was available that quickly, I started looking at services offered on the phone or Zoom and found Daniela. I liked her website and the fact that she wrote a book. She also wasn't on TikTok, so it felt like a more authentic offering."

After connecting with Daniela, McCracken scheduled readings for both Bosley and their other dog, a black lab named Ranger, and sent her photos of them. Daniela read for Bosley first and said the first thing she saw was the number 17 — they couldn’t make any connection, so initially, they were kind of discouraged.

Then, Daniela began saying things that resonated. She talked about where Bosley was feeling pain, that he was just really tired, and that he apologized for being messy, wanting the family to know he wasn’t being naughty. She also talked about seeing roses and the letter "B" — some sort of "alpha." McCracken's dad's name is Brendan, but Daniela said it was a dog. They thought of their late golden retriever, Bruin, and felt that he was up in dog heaven, waiting at the gates.

"She was very soft, and didn’t get everything right — but we wanted to believe, so we did," McCracken says.

"The most surprising thing she told us was that he thought his brother was the favored one or got more attention," she adds. The two were "tied at the hip. We showed them equal attention and spoiled both to no end. We wondered maybe if this was because of the public’s perception of them — he always got more attention because he is a very large, classically looking European Basset hound. It made us sad, but we knew he didn't really think that."

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During the session, McCracken recorded. Later, she posted her video to TikTok, where it went viral, amassing more than 1.6 million views and 700 comments. Reading through the comments, where others related to her experience, validated her choice.

"I was happy we did it," McCracken says. "I think I bought more into it than my parents. We knew all of our dogs go to the rainbow bridge and we will meet them again in another life. I know I will see Bosley's spirit again in all my lives."

"I think the biggest lesson is listen to your dog and stop listening to your head," she says. "Keeping them here because we will miss them so much otherwise is only helping you — not them. Dogs don’t live long enough, but the pain from their send-off is worth the time we do get with them. We will see them again, look out for signs, and know they are up there picking out your next soul dog."

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Although Bosley isn't physically with the family anymore, they plan to put his ashes alongside those of their other late dogs into a frame or vase on the mantle, so he's always by the fireplace.

"We just miss him," McCracken says. "His presence is so missed — the house feels like it’s missing something. My mom got emotional the morning after when she went to make her morning coffee because Bosley was her sidekick who followed her everywhere. The absence of his paws pitter-pattering on the floor really struck a chord."

"I'm also so happy that Bosley had this momentous send-off, with thousands of people wishing him peace," she adds. "I know he feels the love."

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