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A dog's loyalty, even 10 years after the owner's death, has been legally recognised in São Paulo in a heartwarming move.
As reported by the Guardian, a law has been signed, named after a dog that stayed by his owner's grave for 10 years, which allows pets to be buried alongside their loved ones.
The new law, referred to as the Bob Coveiro (the Gravedigger) Law, was signed this week by the governor of Brazil's most populous state, the conservative Tarcísio de Freitas.
According to the state government, the law "recognises the emotional bond between guardians and their pets" and allows dogs and cats to be buried in graves and family plots whose concessions belong to their owners' families.
Bob's former owner died in 2011, and after her burial, the brown mixed-breed dog reportedly refused to leave her side at a cemetery in Taboão da Serra, São Paulo.
While relatives tried to take the dog away, he always returned and was eventually adopted by cemetery staff, who provided him with a kennel and regularly fed, bathed and vaccinated him.
Gravedigger Bob became a national star and accompanied other funeral processions while reportedly carrying a small ball in his mouth.
In 2021, after leaving the cemetery grounds, the dog was struck by a motorcycle and died.
Following his passing, the public called for some action, and while there was no legal provision at the time, the Taboão da Serra city council made an exception and allowed the dog to be buried alongside its former owner.
Moreover, the NGO Patre, which works with stray animals, launched a crowdfunding campaign to install a statue in the cemetery, where it has stood since 2022.
São Paulo is not the first Brazilian state to authorise the burial of pets alongside their owners, which is already in force in Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina.
A federal bill has also been pending in the lower house of Congress since 2023.
