One of the best qualities we all see in our dogs is their unwavering loyalty. It’s a common trait among our canine friends that endears us to them. We see their loyalty when they cry as we leave the house or joyfully run in circles when we open the door after being away all day.
But there are a few pups who took loyalty to a whole other level. In fact, these dogs continued to display their total devotion even after the passing of their beloved humans.
Here are five dogs who proved their loyalty even after their humans’ deaths.
1. Ruswarp, The Border Collie Who Stayed By His Human’s Side For 11 Weeks
Ruswarp — pronounced “Russup” — was a 14-year-old Border Collie who spent his days going on hikes and traveling the mountainside of Burnley, Wales with his human dad, Graham Nuttall.
In January of 1990, neighbors noticed that Graham hadn’t returned from one of his hikes. A search party swept the area for a week in search of Nuttall and his pup to no avail.
Eleven weeks later, another hiker, David Clarke, found Nuttall’s body near a mountain stream. But what was more surprising was that Ruswarp had stood guard over his human’s body through the winter chill.
Unfortunately, poor Ruswarp didn’t survive long after and died shortly following the funeral of his human. Through rain and snow, this Border Collie proved his devotion, and in 2009, a bronze statue at Garsdale Station was put up in his honor.
2. Leao, The Devoted Dog Who Wouldn’t Leave His Human’s Muddy Grave
In 2011, near Rio De Janeiro in Brazil, massive floods devastated the area with deadly mudslides claiming the lives of at least 600 citizens. One of those citizens was Cristina Cesario Maria Santana, who died along with her family. The only surviving family member was their dog, Leao, which means “lion” in Portuguese.
As rescuers scoured the area looking for survivors, they came across Leao digging into the earth. There, they uncovered the bodies of his humans.
But even as people recovered and buried the family, Leao would not leave their side, sitting by their graves for weeks until ONG Estimacao, an animal organization in Brazil, came to rescue him.
3. Fido, The Italian Dog Who Was Truly Faithful
During World War II in 1941, a brick kiln worker, Carlo Soriani from Borgo San Lorenzo, Italy found an injured dog by the roadside on his way home.
Carlo took this dog home and slowly nursed him back to health. Eventually he and his wife took the pup in and named him Fido, which means “faithful” in Latin.
Soon after, a recuperated Fido would follow his dad to the bus station at Luco di Mugello and would wait there until Carlo returned from work. This happened for the next two years until a bombardment occurred at the factory where Soriani worked.
Unfortunately, Soriani perished, but his loyal pup, Fido, didn’t know. For the next 14 years of Fido’s life — until his own passing — he returned to the bus station every day hoping to find his beloved dad.
A monument was built in Fido’s honor and placed in the city square a year before his death. Soriani’s widow attended the inauguration made by the mayor of Borgo San Lorenzo.
After Fido’s death, a front-page story about his undying loyalty spread throughout the country.
4. Capitan, The German Shepherd Who Slept On His Human’s Grave For Twelve Years
In 2005, Miguel adopted a German Shepherd and named him Capitan. Unfortunately, Miguel only had Capitan for a year before he died. But as short of a time as it was, it made a lasting impression on Capitan.
Miguel’s family took the dog in, but soon after the funeral, the pooch disappeared. For months, no one knew where Capitan went until a groundskeeper where Miguel was buried found the dog lying on his human’s grave.
The family was shocked given the distance between their home and the cemetery, let alone Capitan’s ability to find it.
For the next twelve years, Capitan spent his life in and around the cemetery where the caretakers would offer him food and water.
According to the groundskeepers, every evening at 6pm sharp, Capitan would lay on his human’s grave for the rest of the night — and he would do so until his death in 2018.
Capitan showed us that there are no bounds to a dog’s love and devotion.
5. Canelo, The Dedicated Dog Of Cadiz
In the late 1980s, an ill man would take weekly visits to the nearest hospital in Cadiz, Spain for dialysis treatments. And with every visit, he would bring his faithful companion, Canelo, with him.
Since there was a hospital policy that prevented non-service animals from being inside, Canelo would wait by the door until his human’s dialysis treatments were finished. Once he was out of treatment, he would meet his pooch outside, and they would walk back home together.
One day, due to complications, the man died in the hospital during one of his dialysis treatments. But Canelo was none the wiser as he faithfully waited outside.
And he waited for the next twelve years until his death outside the hospital doors, with neighbors and people in the community providing him with food and water all that time. The locals were so touched by his grace and dedication that they named an alley after him and put up a plaque in his honor.
Do you ever feel moved by stories of dogs’ loyalty? Does your dog remind you of these faithful pups? Let us know in the comments below!
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