Devoted Dog Holds Vigil at Site of Owner’s Death
Posted by 
57 commentsEmergency personnel are calling it one of the most touching, heartbreaking scenes they have ever responded to.
78 year old Nevis, MN. resident Bud Kelsey was traveling north on County Road 2 when he drew his last breath. The elderly man suffered a massive heart attack, veering his truck across and off the road into a patch of deep snow at the forest’s edge. Nobody witnessed the accident, but one of his neighbors were driving the same road hours later and called 911 when they noticed his truck in the distance.
When ambulance personnel arrived they found Bud and his dog Zoey in the cab of the truck. Zoey stood her ground and refused to allow medics to remove her master from the truck despite repeated attempts. They finally decided to call a friend of the victim who arrived shortly thereafter and was able to comfort Zoey enough to allow for Bud to be removed from the truck and placed in an ambulance.
Zoey then planted herself firmly by the bumper of the truck and refused to leave, laying in a snowbank and watching as police mapped out and photographed the accident scene. The white shepherd mix had been Kelsey’s constant companion since he rescued her seven years ago, and nobody could coax her away from the site of her guardian’s passing, even after police and rescue had completed documenting the incident.
Eventually another friend of the victim was seen arriving at the scene. After some time spent consoling the heartbroken dog, they were able to lead her away from the sad site that she was determined to protect. The silent, stoic witness to the passage of her best friend had done her best job of keeping watch over him in life, in his final moment and beyond.
This is unspeakably the most heartbreaking story and someone, one of Mr. Kelsy’s neighbors or friends had better step up to the plate and giver her a place to call home. If she ends up at an animal shelter, so help me………
Authorities said a friend of the victim would take the dog home with him. Thursday a Bemidji woman contacted the Enterprise about Zoey and was put in touch with Holsapple. via http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/event/article/id/2769/
That is one of the sweetest and saddest stories I’ve heard lately. Reminded me a lot of Greyfriars Bobby.
GREYFRIAR’S BOBBY….YES…one of my favorite stories from my youth. What a close bond this man & his dog had.
Made me think of Greyfriar’s Bobby too. Both tear jerker stories for sure!
If I could find this kind of devotion in a two-legger, I would get married again.
So touching…. another reason why I love my four legged friends a lot more than some people!
I agree!
a very touching story. I hope Zoey can get on with life and not suffer from depression. Sad.
Mourning is part of loss. I hope Zoey ends up with someone who understands that, and helps Zoey mourn and then live again. I had a dog whose first person (to whom he was extremely devoted) had died suddenly, and he mourned extensively.
It helped when he was finally living in the old neighborhood again, where his first person was remembered and honored. Part of my job was to make sure that we remembered his first person and saw his old human friends. The other part of my job was to make sure he got to live a new happy life, in a slightly different way.
Good luck, Zoey. I hope you are loved and understood.
=(
<3
AAAARRRRRROOOOOOOO!
Amazing how many times this same scene can happen. Never underestimate the power of the love of a pet.
Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara
A Dogs Purpose! Hope all ends well for Zoey.
a human friend wont do that for ya
<3
a tear jerker indeed…
Loyalty – so sweet and sorrowful at the same time.
I would hope that a human friend would…. we haven’t become that bad as a species.
:,(
…unless all your friends are crackheads. They probably wouldn’t stick around.
Unconditional love & loyalty!
Poor baby. I hope someone she knows takes her.
That is a sad one. Does anyone know if someone will take the dog for their own?
Nothing like sitting at my desk trying to not look like I’m crying.
Explain to me how anyone can think pets ( all animals) don’t have the same feelings as humans do…..listen & watch with your heart and your eyes will see………..
Kudos to first responders, they were obviously dog lovers. Far too often animals are not taken in to consideration during such events, this whole thing could have gone another way, a bad way.
I could only hope my pack would honor me in such a way~
Humans should learn to be so loyal
I recently read of a very similar incident. Instead of reacting with compassion, the officer shot the dog in the head.
The dog is recovering.
What is going to happen to her?
so sad for the poor dog….and a testament to his love and his owner
now that is devotion…
@ Jennifer – a friend of the family has offered to take her.
Such a sweet touching story.
what a loyal best friend…
Where will the ownerless pup go?
:’(
my husband passed over the christmas season , i have a westypoo all , he does is look out of the window for his dad to drive up i wish i could tell him its okey i know you miss your dad
My thoughts are with you both – just give lots of cuddles – only time heals – but we never forget are loved ones. Big hugs Ursula in the UK
this is for the kind words from Ursula . thank you ,
So sad and touching. Dogs have feelings too, and it’s sad when people think “they are just dogs”. No, they are so much more. If I start crying, even if I’m hardly making a sound, my 8 year old mutt Jack is right there, doing everything he can to cheer me up. They grieve just as we do, whether for a human companion or a fellow dog. God bless our canine companions!
Poor baby Zoey, I hope she can overcome her grief and lead a happy life. When my grandmother died years ago her loyal furry friend Trixie could not be consoled. She fretted for my grandmother until the day she also passed away, only 6 months later. It was heartbreaking, but I’m sure they are in the same place now and still living out their amazing friendship.
I’m almost afraid everytime I see the titles of stories like this but still cannot help but go ahead and read and cry my eyes out. Our pets are so loyal to us with lots of unconditional love and really bonds to us.
I hope and pray for Zoey to have a loving home.
Sad but powerful story. I hope Zoe’s new caretaker gives her lots of love. One of my clients took in her mother’s dog, Max, when her mother went into a nursing home. She would bring Max to visit. Max was old too and one day he started to go downhill quickly. Then the call came from the nursing home, my client’s mother was failing. They died withing hours of each other. Max knew his job here was done; he joined his owner over the Bridge. His ashes were buried with her.
LES, just wrenches you heart, doesn’t it? Godspeed, Mr. Kelsey.
My sister overdosed in Mexico. A ploiceman (trying to find my sister’s identity) found my brother’s phone number in her truck. We flew to Mexico and when we arrived there was Michelle, my sister’s best friend and shadow for life, who had stayed by her abandoned truck in a desolate hotel parking lot for 7 days. Michelle was skinny, hot, and terrified, but so,so happy to see us! Some kind soul had been giving her water. My sister did survive! Michelle (a 15 year old large Black Lab) nearly knocked her over when she was released from the hospital. Life is not fair…. (my sister finallly clean) and her loyal dog died just 2 years later. Her dog 1st and then my 44 year old sister , just weeks later…. Her death certificate stated “liver failure”, but we knew it was also a broken heart and soul. Bless and LOVE your dogs everyone… no living creature will be more true.
Thank you for sharing your personal story. I got a big lump in my throat when I read it!
I know it must have been difficult for you to post.
They both lived a really full life, traveling, running on beaches, fishing off sailboats, and pushing the human and animal limits together. My sister was an old soul. Writing about it is a comfort : )
Stories like these both cheer my soul and break my heart. Poor Zoey. I think dogs have so much capacity to bring joy and unconditional love into our lives. I adore my two and dread the day i ever lose either of them.
Hearbreaking! I hope this dog finds a great home!
Good girl, Zoey. Good girl.
That is a TRUE “Furever” Friend!!!!!!
Lets hope Zoey will be ok. I just thought Id post this about a dog that died on the same day that his master was shot. So sad…
Radar ran to Dusty’s grave at the Pet Cemetery (he had never been there before, )and sat down directly on Dusty (his buddy since he arrived here at 4 months old). He would not get up and move, we finally coaxed him away and around the cemetery and back into the car—I couldn’t believe it! As I couldn’t believe the rainbow over our bay when Dusty passed away. Dogs are amazing.
So touching… :’( Dogs are such amazingly loyal and loving animals, really, us humans could learn a few things from them.