The male mongrel, who was named Xiao Bao (Little Treasure), went to hospital in Wuhan with his elderly owner in February during the peak of China’s Covid-19 outbreak. Sadly, his owner passed away 5 days after admitted to the hospital, but Xiao Bao refused to leave according to hospital cleaner Zhu Youzhen, 65.
The dog’s owner was one of 3,869 people killed by the deadly disease in Wuhan – the epicentre of Covid-19 pandemic. Unaware that his owner would not return, Xiao Bao patiently waited in the lobby of Taikang Hospital for more than three months. He was kept going with scraps of food fed by staff.
On April 13, when Wuhan lifted its lockdown and the hospital supermarket reopened, shopkeeper Wu Cuifen began to take care of him.
Ms Wu said: “I first noticed the little dog when I returned to work in the middle of April. I called him “Xiao Bao”. That’s the name I gave him.”
“They told me Xiao Bao’s owner, a pensioner, was admitted due to Covid-19. Then he passed away, but Xiao Bao didn’t know and just stayed in the hospital waiting for him. It never left the hospital. It was incredibly touching, and so loyal.”
“I grew familiar with the dog and later brought him into the shop. Every morning when I opened up, Xiao Bao would be there waiting for me. He saw me off at the end of each day,” Ms Wu said Xiao Bao refused to leave, even when they deliberately dropped him off somewhere far away.
He would always make his way back to Taikang Hospital and patiently wait for his owner to return.
On May 20, as Taikang Hospital filled with regular patients, staff received complaints and concerns about Xiao Bao roaming the corridors.Nurses contacted the Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association, who gave the loyal dog a home.
Xiao Bao was treated by vets and has also been sterilised as he prepares to be re-homed. The shelter is now vetting Xiao Bao’s potential new parents, the association’s director Du Fan said.
Source : Metro UK