Dog Refuses to Leave Brazil Flood Victim’s Grave

A photo of a mixed-breed named Leão lying faithfully beside his dog mom’s freshly dug grave in Brazil has broken millions of hearts.

Cristina Maria Cesario Santana was killed in one of the many landslides caused by days of torrential rain, according to CNN. As of today, the Herald Sun reports that the flooding in Brazil has claimed 812 lives.

The AFP/Getty photo went viral on the Internet last week. It was taken on January 15, the second day in a row that Leão (which means “lion” in Portuguese) had refused to leave Santana’s grave in a cemetery near Rio de Janeiro.

After being rescued with dozens of other dogs, Leão has been adopted by a family in Rio de Janeiro, according to the Daily Tail.

Leão is not the only dog to famously remain loyal to a deceased pet parent. In Japan, an Akita named Hachiko walked with his dog dad, Hidesaburo Ueno, a college professor, to the train station every weekday to see him off, and would return each evening to greet him. After Ueno died suddenly of a stroke while at work, Hachi-ko continued to return faithfully to the train station every day, until he himself died – 10 years later.

If you are interested in adopting one of the other dogs rescued in Brazil, call 5521-9632-8115 or email andrealambertvet@gmail.com.

PHOTO: CNN.com

Laura Goldman

Laura Goldman is senior social media writer for i Love Dogs, Inc. She does love dogs. And elephants and turtles. Along with writing about the loves of her life, Laura likes to play with her two pound pups and tell anyone who’ll listen just how awesome Pit Bulls are.

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janeiro

I live in Brazil and have adopted one of the flood victims named Nicki. She is a gsd mix and around ten years old. She is also lame in one leg. We need people to take the older dogs there are many in the Teresopolis shelter. I work with street dogs all year round and am assisting Kinship circle with the disaster effort.

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Joe A

Eulogy of The Dog "He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings...he is a constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens... And when.. death takes the master...there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws...faithful and true even to death." George Graham Vest

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