- A loyal dog waited outside his deceased owner's apartment for weeks in Shanghai
- Neighbors cared for the dog but he refused food, water, and human contact
- The dog disappeared on January 6 amid cold, rainy weather, causing local concern
For weeks, a quiet dog sat outside a closed door in a Shanghai apartment building, waiting for someone who would never return. The story of this loyal pet has deeply moved people both in the neighbourhood and online, reported the South China Morning Post.
Ah Wang, a dog, lived in a residential complex in Shanghai's Baoshan district. His owner, Gao, had cared for him for about 10 years. According to reports, Gao lived alone and passed away suddenly due to illness on December 11th. Afterward, Ah Wang was seen sitting in the corridor outside Gao's apartment every day, as if still waiting for his return.
The dog was well-known and loved by the local residents. According to neighbours, he never barked at children or the elderly. Seeing him lying outside in the cold weather, neighbours placed blankets on the ground to keep him warm. Some tried to offer him water and dog food, but he refused to eat or drink. When anyone tried to pet him or take him inside, he would run away.
On January 6th, when Ah Wang suddenly disappeared, people became even more worried. Concerned neighbours reported his disappearance to a Shanghai TV station. A resident later recounted that it had been a cold night with heavy rain and thunder, and the temperature had dropped to around two degrees Celsius, but despite repeated searches, the dog could not be found. The same resident cited a local belief that when a dog stops eating and drinking for a long time and then disappears, it is believed to be looking for a quiet place to die, and they hoped that Ah Wang could be found and saved.
As the story spread on social media, the search intensified. Finally, on January 8th, a female resident found him while she was feeding stray cats and dogs. Ah Wang was found hiding in a grassy area of the complex. The woman said his body was trembling, he looked extremely sad, and tears were streaming from his eyes. The woman then took him to the residential committee office, where staff members fed him ham sausages. He initially hesitated to eat, but later devoured ten sausages at once.
Chen Zhi, the manager of Shanghai Jiege Pet Animal Garden, told the media that Ah Wang may be suffering from deep psychological trauma after his owner's death.
