Dogs are loving and loyal animals. They are able to make true friends with other animals, and are often there for them when times get tough.
Recently, a poor dog showed the true meaning of love and friendship, refusing to leave his best friend's side after he was hit by a car.
According to Stray Rescue of St. Louis, the stray dog was hit by a car on Interstate 70. A rescue employee saw a crowd gathered around the injured dog and stopped to help.
The dog was badly injured - much to the concern of his best friend, a fellow stray who was on the scene and wouldn't leave his side.
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The anxious dog continued to stand still, as rescuers reassured her that they were there to help her friend. The shelter called the injured dog “Spirit” and his friend “Heart.”
As they rushed Soul into the trauma center, they also took Heart. Throughout it all, it was clear that Hart was very worried about her friend.
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Unfortunately, Spirit was badly injured in the accident. He had a broken back, and the rescue team said there was no way to fix it.
“At Stray Rescue, we will do what it takes to save a life, but if there is no chance for a quality of life, the best thing is to say goodbye,” Natalie Thompson of Stray Rescue told Newsweek.
All Rescue can do is ease the soul's pain in its final moments - and give its loyal best friend a chance to say goodbye.
The soul died, but the heart did not leave its side.
“She wanted to be with him, so we gave her time to say goodbye. We kept her with us the whole time, hoping she would understand what was going on,” Thompson said.
A beautiful, heartbreaking portrait of the moment the heart fell asleep shows Soul, faithful to the end as she grieves for her friend. "We are all grieving for her," Stray Rescue wrote.
Everyone has been incredibly touched by Heart's loyalty and love, and they are now working on a special way to allow Heart to remember her friend forever.
They wrote on social media that they're getting a pendant for her collar that will hold some soul ashes, "so she can always carry it with her."
None of the dogs had collars or microchips, presumably arterial. It is not clear how much time they spent on the streets together, but the heart was noticeably dirty.
But the rescue has given her a much-needed bath, and she's committed to giving this broken dog all the love and care she needs moving forward: "It's time to start healing, baby."
Rest in peace soul, we know you are in a better place without the pain. You obviously have a loving and loyal friend at heart.
Our hearts are with this sweet dog as she continues to grieve, and we hope she has a bright future ahead.
Please share this sweet story as a reminder of how sweet dogs can be.