This loyal dog waited by his owner's bedside after he had died

A heartbroken Moose sat quietly beside the empty bed of his now dead owner. Photo / Facebook

A heartbreaking photo of a loyal dog, waiting patiently beside his owner's empty hospital bed, has gone viral as rescue shelters scramble to find him a new home.

Moose, a three-year-old Labrador cross from New Jersey, was captured sitting quietly beside the bed his "Dad" once occupied — not knowing that he wouldn't be coming home, as he had just passed away this week.

The image was shared in a Facebook post by the Eleventh Hour Rescue shelter, and showed Moose sat in the same spot patiently, next to his owner's hospital bed, for a long time.

Moose was photographed sitting by the door, waiting for his owner to come home. Photo / Facebook

"(Moose was) waiting for him to return, not knowing that 'Dad' had passed away," the post said. "He's a sweet happy boy by nature. He just needs people to help his heart heal."

According to the shelter, Moose — affectionately called The Moosinator — is "taking the loss of his dad pretty hard".

"Please help us heal his heart," the shelter wrote.

In just two days, the post has been shared 2,500 times and had an overwhelming amount of lover from social media users.

Since the tragic passing of his owner this month, Moose is being cared for in a rescue shelter kennel as staff search for a new forever home for him.

Now, this sweet old dog is looking for a new forever home. Photo / Facebook

The shelter described Moose as a loving dog who absolutely dotes on people.

"So much so that Moose would do best in a home where he wasn't left home alone all day long, he misses his people too much," the shelter wrote.

The photo was shared on social media and the tragic story has left the shelter inundated with applications from people hoping to adopt Moose.

NorthStar Pet Rescue announced yesterday on social media that several adoption applications had been filed and the shelter would process them all to find him a loving home as soon as possible.

"We are hopeful he will find a forever home soon! Thank you for caring & sharing everyone!"