A sad little dog had to stay alone in a drifting boat waiting for his owner, the poor thing longing with all his might to come back for him.

Facing the symptoms of any illness, especially when they become more severe, is something that can be really distressing. Not only because of the uncertainty of whether we will get out of this hard battle alive, but also because many times, those who suffer the most are our family members who are left adrift, and among them are, of course, our beloved pets.

This is the drama that hundreds of animals had to live through after their owners were infected by COVID-19.

They were elderly or lonely people, who had no other family than their dogs or kittens, sadly these creatures were left alone, trying to survive as best they could, with no one doing much to ensure their fate.

Certainly, many animal organizations tried to change that sad panorama, going to their rescue, but the truth is that the numbers of abandoned animals grew day by day.

But with a bit of luck, life smiled to some of them much more than they expected?

This is what happened to a poor little dog who was left sad and alone adrift on a boat in the sea.

The events happened two years ago in Manatee County, Florida. The German Shepherd was the only faithful friend of his owner, a man who had been sailing on American waters.

Together they were killing time, under the sound of the waves, amidst breathtaking sunsets, writing an enviable story of friendship and loyalty.

But unfortunately, from one moment to the next, everything changed with the coronavirus. Despite extreme measures, his owner began to experience symptoms related to the virus. In the meantime, the judicious little dog did not leave his side, giving him all the support he needed.

Until one day the man took a turn for the worse and had to be rushed to the hospital, suspected of having coronavirus.

Everything happened so fast that the only thing the man managed to do was to leave enough food for his little dog so that he wouldn’t perish and a last caress as a farewell.

Deep down he was heartbroken to have to leave his best friend like this….

The little dog faced the hardest love test of his life, but he would wait until the end of the world, he knew that his owner would come back…

So the German Shepherd had to stay alone on that houseboat, but of course abandoning him was not an option.

The man immediately contacted the Martin County Sheriff’s Office (MSCO) to ask for help, he told them his situation and asked for mercy for his little dog, someone had to go and save him because he didn’t really know when he would get out of the hospital.

She thought they would not pay much attention to her because of the coronavirus crisis, as everyone was overwhelmed, especially in Florida, one of the most affected states.

The response he received from MSCO’s Marine unit, however, left him speechless.

“A boat owner aboard an anchor boat anchored in the Manatee Pocket made a desperate plea to MCSO to rescue his dog after he was hospitalized for possible COVID-19. The MCSO Marine Unit worked with Animal Services Officers to create a plan to ensure the safety of the officers boarding the boat and the rescue of the stranded animal,” MSCO wrote on its official website.

“The team donned full personal protective equipment and proceeded to the vessel, where they boarded the boat and located the dog. The animal was removed from the boat and brought back to shore,” they added.

Thanks to the man’s signals, they were able to reach the boat without a problem and the distressed dog soon understood that these heroes were there to save him.

One of the officers gained his trust and his great gesture was sealed in a tender kiss to the little furry dog to show him that everything would be all right.

They then communicated that Animal Services officers took the little dog to a shelter, where he will remain in their care while his owner recovers from the virus.

“Good job by an amazing team dedicated to getting the job done, despite the circumstances,” MSCO concluded in its statement.

What these officers did for the little dog and his sick and worried owner was priceless. In the midst of what was the worst of the pandemic, these stories should serve as an encouragement to all owners to be aware of what little animals go through if they are separated for even a minute.

They deserve to be loved to the end!