Short story on Hachi-ko, the Japanese Akita Dog

I just watched this movie "Hachiko" and found myself looking over my past list of beloved pets. I was not so fortunate to have many special pets and which were also members of my family. This movie is based on a true story.. the story was in Japan and the English movie starring Richard Gere is based on the Japanese version.. 

I'm not a pet owner myself but i've always loved dogs. The fierce and loving loyalty of our pets is something that we often take for granted. We sometimes push aside

the importance of their attention and love .As much as they depend on us, it's easy to forget that they touch our lives in a wonderful way too.

The story of Hachiko is one that has moved hearts across Japan and for anyone who has a dog, or any other pet for that matter, it is a particularly moving one.

Hachiko was a purebred Japanese Akita from Odate. He was adopted by a professor at Tokyo university and they became an inseparable pair, like father and son.

Every morning, Hachiko would walk with the professor to Shibuya station where the professor would get on the train to work. Every evening, Hachiko would make his own way to the station and wait at the exit to pick up the professor on his way home from work.

But one day his owner didn't come home.

The professor had passed away suddenly at work. Hachiko was moved into new homes but time and time again he would escape back to the professor's former home. Eventually, Hachiko realized that the professor did not live there anymore and was taken in by a former gardener of the professor's family.

But for the next 8 years, Hachiko continued to make the journey to Shibuya station and at 4 o'clock, he would sit and wait for his beloved professor's return.

Although the story is a sad one, it is a powerful reminder of the love that we have around us. Not only from our family and friends but the beloved furry (or not so furry) members of our families.