Rescue workers in Chongqing, China, were deeply moved after finding a starving dog that refused to leave its late owner’s home, even after more than 10 days without food.
According to Cover News, the Wangwang Family Social Work Service Center in Jiulongpo District received a call for help on September 1 from residents of Qiaobei Community, Jiangbei District. They reported that an elderly man living alone had passed away at the end of August, leaving behind his beloved dog. Since then, the animal had refused to leave and was growing weaker by the day.
On the morning of September 2, rescuer Chen Mintai and volunteers arrived at the scene and discovered the dog curled up inside the cluttered room. Its fur was thin, nails overgrown, and there were signs of necrosis on its back and hips. Locals said three different groups had tried to remove the dog, but it fiercely resisted each time. Even when chased out, it would return to guard the home.
To avoid causing further harm, rescuers decided against using sedatives. Instead, they patiently tried to calm the frightened animal. Video footage showed the dog extremely wary of strangers, uninterested even in food.
Chen Mintai gently said to it:
“Your owner has gone to heaven and can no longer take care of you. Come home with us — I will raise you.”
After nearly three hours of persuasion, the dog finally let down its guard and accepted food. But as volunteers prepared to take it away, the dog kept turning its head back, unwilling to leave. On the stairs, they were stunned to see tears streaming down its face — a sight that left everyone in shock and sorrow.
Chen, who has worked with dogs for 30 years, said this was only the second time he had witnessed a dog cry, and the second time he had seen such loyalty to a “beloved home.”
The dog was named “Zhong Zhong” (meaning “loyalty”) to honor its deep devotion to its owner. It was taken to a veterinary hospital, where tests revealed impaired liver and kidney function as well as severe anemia. After a week of treatment, its health began to improve.
However, Chen emphasized that Zhong Zhong’s psychological trauma was even more concerning than its physical wounds. Having rarely been taken outside or socialized during its life, the dog was deeply fearful of people and the outside world.
The Wangwang Social Work Service Center will arrange a foster program to help Zhong Zhong gradually overcome these barriers. If it adapts well, it will eventually be placed for adoption. “Our greatest wish is for Zhong Zhong to recover and begin a new life,” a center representative said.
On Chinese social media, many have affectionately called Zhong Zhong the “Chinese Hachiko.”
The comparison recalls the famous story of Hachiko, an Akita dog born in 1923 and adopted by Professor Ueno Hidesaburo in Tokyo. Every day, Hachiko would accompany his owner to Shibuya Station and wait for him to return. After Ueno’s sudden death in 1925, Hachiko continued to wait at the station every day for nearly 10 years until his own passing in 1935.
Hachiko’s tale of loyalty touched millions worldwide and made him a lasting cultural symbol of love and devotion. Today, the bronze statue of Hachiko at Shibuya Station remains a beloved meeting point and iconic landmark in Japan.