Messy and Audi are two dogs who live across the street from one another in Thailand. For the last year or so, they’ve had as close a friendship as can be — without ever having actually met face to face.

Oranit Kittragul noticed that Audi would often cry when left alone outside in his yard. So Kittragul would dispatch her dog — the sweet, friendly Messy — outside into their yard to provide some comfort.

Messy would bark a little, which seemed to help Audi feel better. “I don’t know what they are communicating,” she told The Dodo. “But he stops crying.”

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Then one day, Audi got loose. He seized the chance to finally have contact with Messy, who welcomed the sweet embrace.

“He ran to my dog and they hugged each other,” Kittragul said.

Kittragul shared the photos on social media. While the hug actually took place in February, in the last couple of weeks, the dogs have been featured in publications across the world.

Kittragul told TODAY she’s a little surprised at how much attention they’ve received.

“My purpose is just to share a nice photo and story,” she said.

But knowing Messy to be a lovely and affectionate dog, Kittragul isn’t surprised that he’d have such a tender friendship.

The path to love isn’t always smooth or easy, or entirely fulfilling as a narrative. Despite a now-famous moment of devotion, Messy and Audi haven’t actually had the opportunity to just get together and play.

“Not yet,” Kittragul said. “But sometimes I bring Messy to visit Audi in front of Audi’s house.”