Heartbreaking picture of dog who won't leave master's coffin after Italy earthquake

The Telegraph

By Chris Graham11 hrs ago

SHARE

TWEET

SHARE

EMAIL

25 high-protein dinners that don't involve chicken (for once)

Couple rescued after writing SOS message in sand

© Telegraph It is a sight reminiscent of the legend of Greyfriars Bobby It is a sight reminiscent of the legend of Greyfriars Bobby . 

Thirty-four caskets lie side by side in a gym in Ascoli Piceno, a grim snapshot of Wednesday's earthquake that rocked central Italy and left at least 281 people dead and thousands more homeless .

Families grieve beside their departed loved ones, saying their final farewells before they are buried on Saturday. Beside one,  a small blond cocker spaniel sits, devoted to the end, unable to leave his master even in death. 

Little is known of the victim, except that he came from Accumoli, one of the communities that bore the brunt of the devastating quake. The quake was so strong that the town sank by 20 cm, according to Italy's geological institute.

The funeral in the gym is to be celebrated by Bishop Giovanni D'Ercole for the victims of nearby Arquata del Tronto. To date 49 of the dead have come from the tiny town and its nearby hamlet Pescara del Tronto.

Matteo Renzi, the prime minister, has declared a state of emergency and authorised 50 million euros (£43 million) for immediate quake relief.

© Provided by The Telegraph

The Italian government also declared Saturday a day of national mourning and scheduled a state funeral to be attended by President Sergio Mattarella.

While the name of the dog is not known, the picture was a striking reminder of the bonds between man's best friend and their owners  - a connection epitomised by the story of the Victorian dog that held a 14-year vigil at the grave of his master in Edinburgh.

The tale of Greyfriars Bobby tells of a small Skye terrier who could not bear to leave his master's body and remained by his grave in Edinburgh from 1858 to 1872. His master was said to be John Gray, a local policeman.

Earlier this week, a dog trapped in rubble left by the quake pulled out alive.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Full Screen

1/50 SLIDES © Andrew Medichini/AP Photo

The death toll of the 6.2 magnitude earthquake that rocked central Italy on Aug. 24 has climbed to at least 281. According to Italy's civil protection agency, around 2,100 people are living in makeshift camps. A series of aftershocks, including one of magnitude 4.3 on Aug. 25, are hampering the work of rescue officials who are still looking for survivors trapped under the debris. The Italian Council of Ministers have allocated an emergency funding of 50 million euros and declared a state of emergency in the affected regions. The massive quake set off tremors that were felt as far as Rome, nearly 100 miles (160 km) away.
(Pictured) Children play in a tent set up by the 'Save the Children' humanitarian organization in Amatrice.

2/50 SLIDES © Ciro De Luca/Reuters

Rescue workers take a break in Amatrice.

3/50 SLIDES © Ciro De Luca/Reuters

A volunteer prepares food for quake survivors in Amatrice.

4/50 SLIDES © Adamo Di Loreto/Reuters

Coffins of some of the victims are seen inside a gym in Ascoli Piceno.

5/50 SLIDES © Andrew Medichini/AP Photo

A tent set up by the 'Save the Children' humanitarian organization in Amatrice.

6/50 SLIDES © Stefano De Nicolo/Reuters

A drone photo shows the damages in Pescara del Tronto.

7/50 SLIDES © Gregorio Borgia/AP Photo

Rescuers make their way through destroyed houses in Pescara Del Tronto.

8/50 SLIDES © Carl Court/Getty Images

A man rests with his belongings in a park in Amatrice.

9/50 SLIDES © Andrew Medichini/AP Photo

People spend the night in a makeshift camp set up inside a gymnasium in Amatrice.

10/50 SLIDES © Andrew Medichini/AP Photo

People wait for firefighters to accompany them to get their belongings from their homes in San Pellegrino Terme.

11/50 SLIDES © Andrew Medichini/AP Photo

A volunteer rests in a makeshift camp set up inside a gymnasium in Amatrice.

12/50 SLIDES © Italian Firefighters Vigili del Fuoco via AP

A firefighter holds a rescued dog in Amatrice.

13/50 SLIDES © Remo Casilli/Reuters

Rescuers work through the night to save quake survivors trapped under the debris in Amatrice.

14/50 SLIDES © Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo

Rescuers search through the debris in the town of Amatrice, where much of the town was destroyed. The mayor, Sergio Pirozzi, said, “Half the town no longer exists.”

15/50 SLIDES © Andrew Medichini/AP Photo

A man walks in a tented camp set up by the Civil protection near Pescara Del Tronto, Italy. Such camps have been set up in fields and parking lots.

16/50 SLIDES © Andrew Medichini/AP Photo

Each tent is fitted to house 12 survivors whose homes were destroyed.

17/50 SLIDES © Andrew Medichini/AP Photo

Survivors prepare to spend the night in a tent camp.

18/50 SLIDES © Ciro De Luca/Reuters

A rescuer stands in front of a collapsed building in Amatrice.

19/50 SLIDES © Roma/REX/Shutterstock

A destroyed building in the town of Rieti.

20/50 SLIDES © Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock

Damaged houses and vehicles in Amatrice.

21/50 SLIDES © Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images

A damaged road in Arquata del Tronto.

22/50 SLIDES © Emiliano Grillotti/Reuters

Rescuers work at a collapsed building in Amatrice.

23/50 SLIDES © Emiliano Grillotti/Reuters

Rescue officials remove debris.

24/50 SLIDES © Remo Casilli/Reuters

A damaged house in Amatrice.

25/50 SLIDES © Remo Casilli/Reuters

Rescuers help a woman get out of her house in Amatrice.

26/50 SLIDES © Remo Casilli/Reuters

Rescuers works on a damaged property in Amatrice.

27/50 SLIDES © Sandro Perozzi/AP Photo

A post office is engulfed by rubble in Arquata del Tronto.

28/50 SLIDES © Emiliano Grillotti/Reuters

Rescue workers look for survivors in a collapsed building.

29/50 SLIDES © Remo Casilli/Reuters

A woman sits outside a destroyed house in Amatrice.

30/50 SLIDES © Remo Casilli/Reuters

People out on the roads in Amatrice.

31/50 SLIDES © Remo Casilli/Reuters

Rescuers seen near collapsed houses in Amatrice.

32/50 SLIDES © Emiliano Grillotti/Reuters

A rescuer with a dog assesses the damage in Amatrice.

33/50 SLIDES © Emiliano Grillotti/Reuters

People seen next to collapsed buildings in Amatrice.

34/50 SLIDES © Emiliano Grillotti/Reuters

Destroyed property seen after the quake.

35/50 SLIDES © Emiliano Grillotti/Reuters

People seen out on the streets.

36/50 SLIDES © Emiliano Grillotti/Reuters

Rescue workers assess the damage in Amatrice on Aug. 24.

37/50 SLIDES © Emiliano Grillotti/Reuters

Affected people seen next to a destroyed house in Amatrice.

38/50 SLIDES © Emiliano Grillotti/Reuters

An ambulance is seen parked outside a destroyed house in Amatrice.

39/50 SLIDES © Emiliano Grillotti/Reuters

People walk along a road following the quake in Amatrice.

40/50 SLIDES © Steve Scherer/Reuters

A damaged house is seen in Accumoli.

41/50 SLIDES © Remo Casilli/Reuters

A man being rescued from the ruins in Amatrice.

42/50 SLIDES © AP Photo

Survivors and rescuers wander out on the streets in Amatrice.

43/50 SLIDES © AP Photo

Damaged houses in Amatrice.

44/50 SLIDES © AP Photo

Rescuers search a collapsed building in Amatrice.

45/50 SLIDES © AP Photo

The scene of destruction in Amatrice.

46/50 SLIDES © AP Photo

Rescuers search a damaged building in Amatrice.

47/50 SLIDES © Sandro Perozzi/AP Photo

Rescuers search for survivors in the debris in Arquata del Tronto.

48/50 SLIDES © Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo

An excavator digs through rubble of collapsed buildings in Amatrice.

49/50 SLIDES © Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo

People sit on the side of a road as collapsed buildings are seen in the background in Amatrice.

50/50 SLIDES © Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo

An elderly man is given assistance in Amatrice.

50/50 SLIDES