In a heartbreaking video uploaded to YouTube, a dog finds the lifeless body of a young pup and — as if in an act of ceremonious mourning — proceeds to gently use her snout to nudge dirt and sand to bury it. After taking three minutes to cover the pups corpse the dog walks away, prompting three men in the background to call out in Arabic “thank you very much.” The video, whose Arabic title translates to “dog buries son in Iraq,” has added itself to the list of animal videos gone viral.
It is unknown if the dog was a mother burying her puppy or if she was just a passerby who decided to pay her respects. Regardless of the circumstance, the touching image has resonated to viewers all over the world. Videos of dogs and their capacity for empathy continue to astound us. Another viral video depicting dog crying over his owners grave is just one other impacting example dogs’ ability to feel. But there is something particularly significant about this video. Instability and violence in Iraq continues to be surging news from the Middle Eastern country. But in the midst of articles and photos reporting on suicide bombings and deaths, this video gives us an image of humanity, in canine form.