Loyal to the end: A dog remains at the side of his wounded friend in the wake of the tsunami - miraculously, both survivedThis loyal spaniel saved the life of his injured friend who was barely moving by sticking by his side following the tsunami - and leading a group of rescuers to him.
In heartwarming footage, the brown and white dog leads reporters to the injured mud-splattered animal who is lying flat out among the wreckage.
The dog had seemingly stuck by the side of the wounded animal in Arahama, Sendai, for days following the earthquake and tsunami.
TV crews who were filming in the area initially thought the spaniel was guarding a dead dog, before they excitedly realised the injured animal was alive and being protected.
The dog was later rushed to the vets in Mito, while the loyal dog was taken to a nearby shelter.
The crews thought the white dog was dead but shout excitedly 'Yes! Yes! He is alive' as they spot his head moving.
Warding off danger: The brown spaniel-cross tried to keep a news crew away as he guarded his injured friend
Faithful: Despite surviving a natural disaster, the dog showed no fear as he tried to protect his friendThe crews were shocked to discover that the apparently dead dog has survived.
In an English translation, the reporter apparently says: 'We are in Arahama area. Looks like there is a dog. There is a dog. He looks tired and dirty. He must have been caught in the tsunami. He looks very dirty.
'He has a collar. He must be someone's pet. He has a silver collar. He is shaking. He seems very afraid.
'Oh, there is another dog. I wonder if he is dead.'
Another person off camera asks: 'Where?'
The reporter continues: 'Right there. There is another dog right next to the one sitting down. He is not moving. I wonder. I wonder if he is alright.'
Protector: After barking at reporters, the dog returns to his fellow canine's sideThe voice off-camera says: 'The dog is protecting him,' with the reporter replying: 'Yes. He is protecting the dog. That is why he did not want us to approach them. He was trying to keep us at bay.
'I can't watch this. This is very difficult to watch. Oh. Look. He is moving. He is alive. I am so happy to see that he is alive.
'Yes! Yes! He is alive. He looks to be weakened. We need them to be rescued soon. We really want them rescued soon.
'Oh good. He's getting up. It is amazing how they survived the tremendous earthquake and tsunami. It's just amazing that they survived through this all.'
Miracle: The weaker dog begins to stir and his friend puts a comforting paw around him
Both dogs have now been rescued, according to a Facebook post by Kenn Sakurai, president of a dog and cat food firm which aids animal rescue operations.
'The one which came close to the camera is in the better condition,' he explained.
'The othere white, gray and black was weak. So it is in the vet clinic in Ibaraki Prefectre.The other dog is in the shelter of the same area.
'But please know that those two are just the tip of the iceberg. There are more and we need help.'
Ultimate Loyalty: Japanese Dog Refuses to Leave Injured Friend Behind
source: dailymail