There is something quite remarkable about the bond shared by a dog and its owner. It's for this reason that so many heartwarming tales of devoted canine companions are posted on social media, eliciting feelings of both sympathy and admiration from the general public.
As a result, many people's tears have been dried thanks to a story about a stray dog that was recently shared on the Sohu (China) page. Stray dogs are a common sight for residents of one Shandong, China, village, where they walk from home to house in search of scraps.
This dog is well-known in the area because of its amiable demeanor and attractive appearance, which prompts many passers-by to feed it. While many are interested in adopting the dog, no one has done so out of fear that the animal could spread disease to humans. Some witnesses last winter reported seeing a stray dog accompanying the old beggar who resided under the bridge.
They spent the frigid winter together in the beggar's makeshift shelter, despite the fact that the old man couldn't afford to buy enough food to feed a stray dog for a day. One may say that the dog is a very particular friend to the old guy, and that people are more likely to give him money because of the dog's presence.
This carried on for a while, until one day a local guy found a stray dog behaving oddly. The dog is continuously digging and begging for food from people, yet he does not eat immediately upon receiving it. Instead, he led the delivery of food to the spot under the bridge where he and the elderly beggar "reside."
A few days later, the child once again witnessed the dog engaging in the same behavior, prompting him to secretly follow the animal to learn its fate. Oddly enough, the youngster was immediately surprised and saddened by the sight before him. The youngster came upon the dog and the elderly beggar, and the dog was resting next to the man, surrounded by food that it had brought back to him over the past few days. The elderly man, however, had already passed away and hence would not have been present for this event.
After determining that the old beggar had died from complications brought on by the cold, the man called the police to handle the incident. A member of the police force was dispatched to take care of cleanup and drive the elderly man to his cremation.
The wild dog seemed to grasp what was going on after witnessing the entire scene. Discreetly, it went from one person to another, picking up pieces of human bones. Shortly thereafter, the old beggar vanished from under the bridge, but his sorrowful dog companion remained.
Someone took pity on the dog and adopted him, but a few days later he was seen lost and alone beneath a bridge. He hasn't given up hope just yet, as he keeps looking out for the old beggar to come back.
Many have been moved by the tale of the dog and the old beggar in Shandong, and many have commented on it, saying things like:
Our canine friends have long been our most trusted and cherished family members.
A very loving dog, but sadly his best friend has passed away.
"Maybe in the next life the dog will be able to rest easy, basking in the love of its master."