These images show a loyal dog sitting by its dead owner’s side after the homeless man passed away on a bench outside a hospital.
The moving scene took place outside the Rio Piedras Medical Centre in the district of Rio Piedras in the Puerto Rican capital San Juan on the morning of 1st February.
According to the news site El Universal, the 60-year-old homeless man passed away in the night and the dog stayed by his side.
The loyal pooch even remained on the bench as personnel from the Institute of Forensic Sciences (ICF) took the body away, gazing at the morgue vehicle as it disappeared from view.
However, medical staff took a liking to the dog, and Dr Jose Antonio Herrera Dalmau reportedly decided to adopt the ownerless animal.
He told the newspaper El Nuevo Dia: “I have already made an appointment to see a vet because the dog has a leg injury. It is not broken, but it has an injury.”
The hospital doctor added that he was thinking of calling the pooch Leo.
He said he was told about the dog by a colleague and went outside to take a look.
The doctor, who says he is a dog lover, explained that Leo looks a lot like a pet pooch he had several years ago called Reina.
Dr Herrera Dalmau also said that he tried to make the dog follow him onto the bus, but it refused to leave the bench, apparently waiting for its dead owner, so he had to carry the animal home in his arms.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Lee Bullen, Sub-Editor: William McGee,  Agency: Newsflash
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
