On the internet, not everything is as they seem.

Picture this, a German shepherd dog dug a hole under her owner’s grave. She’s distressed, scared, and maybe upset. She’s curled up into a ball to ease her grief. In her owner’s absence, she still made sure that she’s loyal until the end. This is how dogs are, and we don’t deserve them. Their undying love knows no bounds, whether in life or in death.

https://www.facebook.com/Tierschutzverein.Tierjammer/photos/a.731165646992324/731165653658990

It’s a story you’d share with friends and tell your kids.

A story that will tug onto your heartstrings. You might give it a thumbs up, a comment, and a share. But you also have to know that this story is not true.

Back in 2015, a Facebook account shared a picture of a German shepherd holed up close to a grave. The caption read:

“A dog dug a hole in the tomb of his owner who has just died so that he could be close to the person who he loves most.”

But this dog doesn’t even know who’s on the grave.

And the dog is a “she” not a “he”. So what’s the true story behind this viral photo?

After making rounds on the internet with over 200,000 likes and 600,000 shares, people began looking more into the story. And even with the shroud of fantasy that wrapped this story, the truth is still just as heartwarming and amazing.

The dog in question is in fact a stray.

The poor dog had nowhere else to go but she had to look for a place to dig in. It was not a place to protect herself from the elements. She dug a hole because she was about to give birth.

It was far from the idea of an “ideal nest” but at that moment, she thought it would have to do. Fortunately, Vesna Mihajloski caught on to the story. She and her team visited the gravesite and confirmed the situation.

The poor dog has been nursing her four young puppies with no one to look out for her.

Her team then decided to rescue the dogs and give them the care they desperately need. Mihajloski posted an album of the family’s journey. She showed how the family received medical attention and food.

The cold graveyard den was replaced with warm beds. Scavenged scraps that passed for food were replaced with nutritious meals. And the anxiety induced by being outside was finally replaced by the feeling of love and safety.

Soon enough, the mother dog regained her health.

The puppies were much more energetic and playful, thanks to the safer environment they were growing up in. Life was finally turning for the better for this dog and her beloved puppies.

On the internet, not everything is as it seems, and our curiosity in confirming these stories can lead us to fortunate discoveries.

While it was not a story of a dog’s undying loyalty to its deceased owner, it’s still a story of a mother’s love and her family who fought through the odds and survived.

https://www.facebook.com/Tierschutzverein.Tierjammer/photos/a.731165646992324/731165710325651

That story is still as wonderful.

Watch more about how this German shepherd family got rescued after an unconfirmed viral post.

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Source: YouTube – watchjojo, Facebook – Vesna Mihajloski, Facebook – Tierjammer, Yahoo! News, News 18