‘Argentinian Hachiko’ Spends a Year Waiting Outside Police Station Where Its Owner Was Arrested

Sheila, a Golden retriever mix from Buenos Aires, Argentina, has melted the hearts of millions around South America after it was reported that she has been patiently waiting outside a local police station ever since her owner was arrested there, over a year ago.

The loyal dog reportedly showed up outside the police station in 25 de Mayo, a small town in Argentina’s Buenos Aires province, soon after her owner was brought in on charges of assault, last year. Staff there believe that she must have followed the patrol her owner was in, but one thing is for sure, once she arrived, she never left. It didn’t take long for the officers to notice her presence, and some of them started bringing her food to gain her trust. Sheila was cautious at first, but today she depends on the policemen for sustenance, sleeps inside the station at night, and sometimes accompanies her carers on patrols. But she always comes back to the station to wait for her master.

Photo: Facebook

“The truth is that the day we brought the man to the station, after a while Sheila showed up and never left,” Deputy Commissioner Juan Jose Martini told Tucumanalas7 News. “We think she must have followed the patrol car. From the first minute, Sheila, who is 4 or 5 years old, stood outside the building, immediately earning the love of everyone. Today she is part of our family and has adjusted so well that when the staff goes out to patrol the streets on foot she follows them.”

The police officers were so impressed with Sheila’s loyalty and love of her owner that they decided to let her spend some time with him and even sleep outside his jail cell from time to time.

“She always goes in to see her owner, and even sleeps inside the police station, it’s beautiful,” one policeman said.

Photo: Facebook

A few months ago, Sheila was attacked by another dog, a bulldog, and needed medical attention. Police station staff saved her and took her to a veterinarian. She was hospitalized for 15 days and all the medical bills were covered by the police station. Luckily, she made a full recovery and was able to return to her waiting spot.

“I suppose that when her owner goes free she will go home with him, and when that happens we will miss her,” Deputy Commissioner Martini said. Sheila still has a long wait ahead of her, as her owner is serving a three and a half year jail sentence. At least she’s is well taken care of and can see her master from time to time.

Sheila’s story is just one of the many examples of canine love and loyalty we’ve featured in the last 11 years. You may remember Capitan, the German shephard who has been waiting by his owner’s grave for over a decade, or Xiongxiong, the adorable dog been waiting at a subway station for 12 hours, every day, until his owner came home from work. And who could forget the heartbreaking story of Fu Shi