Passers-by at a hospital in Brazil last month couldn't help but be puzzled by a stubborn pup who refused to move away from the hospital's doorway.Cristine Sardella, a lawyer from Novo Horizonte in the state of São Paolo, came to the hospital for a doctor's appointment and was struck by the dog's unusual behaviour. She told The Dodo:
He would get up to let people pass by, very politely, and then lay right back down again. He was educated and tame.
Curious, Sardella went on to ask the hospital receptionist if she knew anything about the dog. And what she learned was heartbreaking.The dog was owned by a local homeless man, who had tragically died after being stabbed in a local park four months earlier.When his owner was taken away in an ambulance, the dog had chased after it all the way to the hospital.After the man was taken inside, the pup - who had no way of knowing his owner had sadly passed away - had sat down outside the door to wait for him, and hadn't moved since.
Source: Cristine Sardella
Hospital staff have been doing their best to help the lonely dog, and give him food and water everyday.But Sardella is hoping he will soon be able to have a new home and a new family.Since she is already a mom to two dogs, Sardella herself is unable to take the grief-stricken dog in.So she took to social media to spread the word about the orphaned pup, in the hope that another family would be able to offer him a forever home.And the positive response blew her away.After the word spread about the dog on social media, a local rescuer came to pick the dog up so that he could stay at a kennel while arrangements were made to find him a new home.But the dog escaped. Sardella told The Dodo:
He fled across the city. He walked over 3 kilometers and returned to the hospital.
Source: Cristine Sardella
It looks like the dog needs to stay at the hospital for now, until he's had time to process his owner's passing.For the time being, hospital employes are making arrangements for the pup to be seen by a vet and vaccinated.Osvaldo Sobrinho, the director of the hospital, told The Dodo that one of the hospital workers has volunteered to adopt the dog when he's ready to move on.So once he's ready, a new family will be waiting to welcome him with open arms.Tens of thousands of dogs and cats end up in shelters each year, either due to neglect, abuse or abandonment. Consider adopting before you shop, and visit your local shelters before going to a breeder. Every dog and cat deserves a fair chance at a forever home.If you live in England, you can visit the RSPCA, and if you live in the United States, you can visit the ASPCA to get more information about pets available for adoption.
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