It is no coincidence that dogs have become a symbol of loyalty that resonates around the world. The story below about dogs wholeheartedly waiting and protecting their owners will surely make many people unable to contain their emotions. When talking about dogs, people often think of loyalty and reliability. No matter what kind of person the owner is, dogs are always attached to them. There are many stories that make us touched and admired by the loyalty and affection that four-legged friends have for humans.
Hachiko
Hachiko the dog is probably no longer strange to animal lovers around the world, especially when his story was adapted into a famous movie of the same name. Hachiko belongs to the Akita dog breed and is considered a “national treasure” of Japan thanks to his absolute loyalty to his owner. In 1924, Hidesaburo Ueno – a Professor at the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Tokyo, Japan – bought and brought Hachiko to Tokyo. The close friendship between the respected Professor and the little dog began with Hachiko every morning accompanying his boss to Shibuya station and waiting for him there when he returned at the end of the day. Regardless of whether it’s sunny or rainy, Hachiko always goes to the station to see his close friend off to work. But then one fateful day in May 1925, when Professor Ueno suffered a heart attack and passed away suddenly at work, Hachiko still sat waiting for his friend in hope at the station. In the following days, seemingly still not believing in his master’s departure, the poor dog still went to the station every day to wait for the Professor to return. This repeated incident made the surrounding guests notice and love Hachiko.
This loyal dog waited for his master for 9 years, 9 months and 15 days, until his death. After Hachiko passed away, people loved the dog’s loyalty and sculpted a statue of Hachiko and saw it as a symbol of loyalty. Nowadays, when arriving at Shibuya Station, Japan, tourists do not forget to visit the statue of Hachiko dog solemnly placed here.
Lao Pan
Lao Pan is a single man with an ordinary life, not rich, not of high social status, nor has family and many friends in China. However, what made him famous was the love his loyal dog had for him that was known throughout China. Lao Pan’s dog lived with him for many years, and when he passed away at the age of 68 in 2011, this dog was with him until the very end. When Lao Pan was buried at the cemetery in Panjiatun village, this dog guarded his master’s grave for many days without eating or drinking anything. After discovering that the dog was emaciated because it had been guarding its master’s grave for a long time, the villagers used food to lure it home, but the dog still refused to leave its master’s grave. Finally, they had to bring food and water to the cemetery and build him a place to live right next to Lao Pan’s grave.
Hawkye
Hawkeye is a military dog who has an extremely close relationship with his owner and trainer Jon Tomlinson. Tomlinson was a member of the US Navy SEAL task force. He was killed when the Chinook helicopter carrying the task force was shot down in 2011.
Hawkeye the dog became famous worldwide when a photo taken at Tomlinson’s funeral spread online. In the middle of the funeral, the dog Hawkeye walked up to Tomlinson’s coffin and collapsed, letting out a sad sigh next to his beloved owner’s body and lying there throughout the funeral. The whole world has witnessed the strong bond and absolute loyalty that Hawkeye has for his master, even after he is gone. Fortunately, the dog was later adopted by a friend of Tomlinson and lived in a loving home.
Theo
Theo is a military dog deployed to Afghanistan with his owner and teammate, Corporal Liam Tasker. Tasker is a sniper in the British army, while Theo is a dog that specializes in sniffing out landmines. When Tasker died in combat in March 2011, the dog Theo almost collapsed. When teammates brought the bodies of Tasker and the dog Theo back to base, the dog had a stroke and also passed away. The military doctor concluded that Theo’s sudden stroke was due to the dog’s sadness over the death of his owner. Both the corporal and Tasker and the dog Theo set a record for the number of bombs found and defused during their service in Afghanistan. After the dog Theo passed away, the British army posthumously awarded him the Dickin medal (equivalent to the Victoria badge in the British Royal Army), recognizing this dog’s contribution and loyalty.
Capitan
Capitan is a German Shepherd raised by Mr. Manuel Guzman, an Argentine. When Mr. Guzman died in 2006, his family discovered that his dog Capitan had also disappeared. A few weeks after the funeral, they visited Mr. Guzman’s grave and were surprised to see Capitan standing there waiting for them. The surprising thing is that they have never brought this dog to the cemetery, and cannot understand how Capitan could come here and find the exact grave of his owner. Since then, Capitan often went back and forth from home to the cemetery and lived on the leftover food the cemetery manager brought him. Every night, this loyal dog returns to Mr. Guzman’s grave, it seems that the dog does not want his owner to sleep alone in a cold place.
Dorado
On September 11, 2001, blind old man Omar Eduardo Rivera was trapped in one of the most dangerous situations in the world. Mr. Rivera worked on the 71st floor of the World Trade Center tower, and came here with his dog Dorado as usual that fateful morning. When the first plane controlled by terrorists crashed into the tower, Mr. Rivera knew he was in a desperate situation. He thought that a blind old man like him could not escape, so he untied the dog Dorado and ordered him to run out to survive. At first, the dog followed his owner’s commands, but 10 minutes later, Mr. Rivera felt the loyal dog rubbing against his leg. Dorado returned with his owner in distress, and with the help of a colleague, Mr. Rivera groped his way down the emergency stairs. It took them more than an hour to go up all 72 flights of stairs and escape safely. As soon as they escaped, the entire tower collapsed with thousands of people trapped inside. Mr. Rivera affirmed that it was his loyal dog Dorado who saved his life.
Fido
Unlimited loyalty to his master made Fido a famous character in the 1940s and 1950s. Fido is a stray dog on the streets of Luco di Mugello, a small town in Florence, Italy. In 1941, Mr. Carlo Soriani found Fido injured lying on the side of the road and decided to take the dog home to care for and raise. Since then, every time Soriani takes the bus home from the factory, Fido is always standing at the bus stop waiting for him. For 2 years, not a day went by that Fido did not wait for Soriani at the bus stop, then they both walked home. One day, the factory where Soriani worked was hit by an Allied bomb, killing him and many other workers. That night, when Soriani did not return, the dog Fido quietly walked home from the bus stop. But the next day, he continued to return to the bus station to wait for his owner. Just like that, for 15 long years, every day Fido patiently stood at the bus stop waiting for his owner who never returned. Fido’s loyalty made him a famous figure in Florence, and when he died in 1958, he was buried next to Soriani’s grave.