Recently, a picture of a dog using its front paws to push a wheelchair up a hill for its owner has gone viral on social media, receiving a lot of attention. Many people have expressed their admiration for this extraordinary act, while also being curious about the story behind this intelligent dog.
The owner of the dog is Mr. Ma, an elderly shoemaker living in Trian Ha district, Lao Yang city, Hà Nam province, China. When he was young and working at a construction site, he unfortunately had an accident that permanently paralyzed his two legs.
He doesn’t have a stable source of income and can only rely on his street vendor stall to make a living. For the past 50 years, he has lived a lonely and impoverished life with no partner or children by his side.
Five years ago, he found a skinny and injured dog lying in a corner of the street. Mr. Ma decided to take the dog home and used his meager savings to pay for veterinary treatment.
Many times, the poor old man tried to chase the dog away because he couldn’t afford to take care of another animal, but the dog refused to leave.
Every day, Mr. Ma spends over an hour to travel to his workplace, even though the distance is only 1km. Every time he prepares to leave, the dog runs after him. On many rough roads, the dog puts its front paws on the back of the wheelchair to make it easier for the old man to move around.
This scene happens every day on the small street and has become a familiar sight to the locals. The residents often offer food and clothing to Mr. Ma and he, in return, helps them repair their old shoes and clothes.
The dog that Mr. Ma takes care of is very intelligent and understanding. It helps him watch over his small stall and even knows how to warm his owner’s feet whenever the weather turns cold.
When it’s time to eat, the dog goes around searching for food on its own. Because it knows the owner’s situation, every time it passes by, restaurant owners or households with leftover food give it food. The dog is so well-behaved that it eats cleanly and then returns to its owner without disturbing the businesses of the restaurant owners.
Nowadays, the dog has become an indispensable companion to Mr. Ma. Even though poverty and hunger are sometimes constant, the two of them still enjoy each other’s company every day.
