Loyal dehydrated dog guards body of dead owner for weeks during Christmas

A severely dehydrated dog (not pictured) was rescued by animal protection services after being found lying alongside the body of her owner who died weeks before. Photo / 123rf

A severely dehydrated dog was rescued lying alongside the body of her owner who had died weeks before.

The nine-year-old Havanese, called Zsazsa, was found in a Budapest apartment on Wednesday, but is now recovering, an animal rescue group spokesperson said.

Although the dog had some dry feed to eat, vets said she would have died within a couple of days if she had not been found, explained Gabor Pataki, head of the animal rescue group Allatmento Liga.

Police were called to the flat after neighbours reported that the elderly owner had not been seen for some time, the MailOnline reported.

"The dog was lying next to the dead body, and was so weak that she could not stand up. We had to drag her away," Pataki said.

He said many dogs would have died after such a trauma but "yesterday she was on her feet again and even wagged her tail."

Police said the 66-year-old woman appeared to have died of natural causes.

In a similar case of man's best friend proving the most loyal companion, a starving nine-year-old retired racing greyhound named Dory was rescued from her home after a month inside next to her owner.

Dory, mourning her deceased owner, would not leave their side until the pet was saved by animal rescuers last December.

The pet was placed into a foster home to wait for a family to adopt her, with a carer telling a news site: "She is doing well in her foster home; each day, she gets a little more comfortable after all the changes she's experienced lately,"