It’s really true what they say: dog really is man’s best friend. Joey was diagnosed with autism when he was young and struggled with making friends. Feeling lonely and isolated, Joey wasn’t doing very well – that is, until his mom decided to get him a dog. When Joey was introduced to his new best friend, a sweet pit bull named Roxy (who was dealing with her own struggles as well), neither of their lives would be the same. Watch their incredibly sweet journey below and make sure you have some tissues on hand.

Pit bulls tend to have a stigma to them – that they’re mean, aggressive, and vicious. This applies ESPECIALLY to shelter pit bulls, which statistics show tend to be adopted less than other breeds. Sadly, this aggressive stigma comes from the way pit bulls are often treated and the fatal fights they are forced to participate in for sport.

That makes this story, of a boy and a dog who both needed a friend, that much more touching.