Loyal Dog Waits For His Friend After Riding With Him To The Hospital

This week, emergency medical workers in Brazil were called in to help a homeless man who'd fallen ill from a respiratory problem. When they arrived, it quickly became clear that, despite apparently having little in the way of material possessions, the ailing man was rich in another way.

There with him was his faithful dog, named Marrom, who'd remained by his side the whole time.

Rather than shun the pup away after loading the man into the ambulance, the sympathetic crew welcomed Marrom aboard to ride with his friend to the hospital.

Once at Hospital Humanitária, in the town of Limeira, Marrom tried his best to follow his owner into the emergency room, but it was decided best to not let him in for the sake of the other patients.

It was only after the man was wheeled out of sight, into the ICU, that the dog stopped trying to enter the hospital.

Instead, Marrom just curled up out front and began to wait. And wait.

As the hours passed, Marrom's show of loyalty to his owner wasn't lost on the hospital employees. They brought him food, water and showered him with affection.

One staffer, physician Jairo Xavier de Oliveira, noted on Facebook:

"He is simply waiting quietly, very behaved. But you can wait little Marrom — soon we will return your friend."

The hospital staff even put up a sign to ensure that no one would bother the pup or confuse him for a stray:

"Please, do not mistreat this animal, because he belongs to a patient."

All told, Marrom's vigil lasted more than 32 hours. It was around this time that, as UOL News reports, a local animal rescue group, ALPA, stepped in to see if he needed care himself.

Finding that he had fleas and ticks, and perhaps never before had been to a vet, they decided to take him in for treatment. Afterward, he'll stay with them until his owner is released from the hospital.

With any luck, in the coming days Marrom will be reunited with the friend he's shown such loyalty toward — and together they'll be healthier than when their saga all began. ALPA has even contacted local organizations in town to see if longer-term shelter can be arranged for the homeless pair whose story has touched so many hearts already, writing online:

"Our gratitude and love to all involved in this very special case."