Till Death Do Us Part: 5 True Stories of Super Loyal Dogs
Relationships become stronger when people place a high value on loyalty. Even so, one does not need to be in a relationship to know what loyalty is. Today, dogs are the living definition of loyalty. Loyal dogs prove they are indeed a ‘man’s best friend’ by expressing their enduring loyalty and affection to their owners.
It’s time to commemorate the amazing and touching stories of canine loyalty as we celebrate National Dog Day.
1. Buboy
In 2019, Buboy, a loyal aspin, became viral on social media and was dubbed ‘Pinoy Hachiko’ by netizens. As a school dog, Buboy does not have an owner. But eventually, Sir Marcelo, a professor at Mabalacat City College, treated Buboy like a pet and took care of him. Every day he brings food to the school to feed Buboy, and later, the dog began to acknowledge him as his master.
Buboy joyfully welcomes Sir Marcelo at the entrance and walks with him throughout the school. Sadly, a heart attack claimed Sir Marcelo’s life. According to the students, Buboy still patiently waits outside the faculty room where the professor is usually in. The school residents deeply sympathized with the dog so they brought Buboy to Sir Marcelo’s wake, hoping that he would understand what was happening.
A few weeks after, Buboy followed his human after being struck by a car while attempting to follow the campus security guard.
2. Kabang
Another dog from the Philippines who proved his loyalty and love for his family—a female aspin named Kabang. In 2011, Kabang fearlessly stopped a speeding motorcycle from ramming her owner’s young daughter and niece. The brave dog tragically damaged her snout and upper jaw from the motorbike’s wheel to save the girls.
Kabang became a media sensation as a result of the incident. Because of that, many people from around the world contributed to her operation expenses. She underwent seven months of rehabilitation at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in California after her injury necessitated immediate medical attention.
A decade after, the hero female dog passed away peacefully in her sleep. To honor the heroic deed of Kabang, a lifesize statue was created in Zamboanga.
3. Hachiko
It’s almost a hundred years ago but Hachiko is still one of the most recognized stories of canine loyalty.
Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor of agriculture at the University of Tokyo, later adopted Hachiko, an Akita puppy that was born on a farm in 1923. Ueno and Hachiko established a regular habit in which they would travel together to Tokyo’s Shibuya train station. Hachiko would send his master off to work and then wait for his return in the afternoon. However, the lonesome story of Hachiko began when Ueno faced sudden death.
Hachiko patiently waited at the train station every day between 1925 and 1935, hoping to see his deceased master again. He rose to fame on a global scale, becoming a symbol of loyalty, and history’s most loyal dog.
Even though he had only been with his master for two years, he proved his allegiance to him by going back and forth to the train station for ten years.
4. Kostya
Residents of Tolyatti in Russia first noticed a stray German shepherd at the edge of South Highway in 1995. The dog would remain in the same location and rush at approaching cars as if expecting someone. The people later learned that the dog was involved in a car accident with his owners, leaving him as the only survivor.
Kostya remained unwavering and stayed in the same place for seven long years, hoping to see his master. Soon after the dog’s demise, residents of Tolyatti decided to honor the loyal dog by erecting a bronze statue of him.
5. Masha
Masha, a seeming dachshund dog, made headlines in 2014 by visiting a hospital every day in Siberia, Russia, in search of her recently deceased owner. According to reports, Masha’s owner was admitted to the hospital in 2012 and passed away in 2013. Since that time, the heartbroken dog has appeared every day in the hospital, perhaps she doesn’t have a place to live or she thinks her owner is still there.
Hospital staff members felt compassion for the dog so they let him stay at the hospital’s receiving area. They fed her and provided her with a warm spot to sleep.
‘You see her eyes, how sad they are – it’s not the usual shiny eyes for when a dog is happy.’
Dr. Vladimir Bespalov of the Siberian hospital told in a TV interview.
A family attempted to adopt Masha, but she fled and later returned to the hospital.
Dogs are undeniably very loyal, even up until the point of death. Probably other tales of canine loyalty exist, but they have never been shared.
May this serve as a reminder to us that dogs, whether they belong to us or are just strays, deserve to be treated with kindness because they too have feelings.
