Dog Stands Guard Beside Boy's Body for 3 Days in Snowy Mountains

On January 30, Straits Times reported that Indian rescue teams revealed the search mission for 13-year-old Piyush Kumar and his 19-year-old cousin Vikas Rana, who went missing after setting out on a mountain trip in northern Himachal Pradesh on January 23. Officials found the young Kumar's small body motionless in the snow, with a dog sitting beside him - a dog that had remained by the deceased boy's side for over three days, amidst extreme cold, without food or water. Local media reported that the cousins had planned a simple trip to visit the Bharmani Mata temple in Bharmour, intending to film and explore a familiar area, carrying tents and travel equipment. The family quickly alerted authorities when the two did not return home. Rescue units rushed to the mountains, using drones and emergency helicopters to search when visibility allowed. On January 26, rescue teams discovered the campsite, with tents and equipment half-buried in snow. Near a tree, they found Kumar and the accompanying dog. The officials carefully approached, with the dog barking protectively before being captured. They transported both bodies and the dog via emergency helicopter. The family has since retrieved the bodies and taken the dog home. Internet users drew parallels to Hachiko, the Akita dog who waited at Shibuya Station in Tokyo for years after his owner's death. A widely shared post on TikTok noted: "In a world where humans often create disappointment, this dog showed true love, loyalty, and faithfulness by staying beside his companion until the very end, protecting the one he loved, even in death."