A loyal dog in India refused to leave a graveside for two weeks after the death of his teenage owner.

In an extraordinary display of loyalty, Tommy the dog went without food and water for 15 days and braved the hot days and cold nights in Chennai, southern India, as he guarded the burial site of his master, Bhaskar Shri, 18, who died in a car accident Aug. 2.

The young construction worker had adopted the dog five years ago and the two quickly became inseparable.

But when Bhaskar was killed in a car accident earlier this month, the pup couldn’t leave his side.

Dawn Williams, an animal rescue officer working with Blue Cross of India, finally helped the famished dog.

“I first spotted the brown dog sitting on a fresh grave one evening as I happened to walk past in the first week of August, but at the time I didn’t think anything of it,” Williams recalled. “But on Aug. 13 I was in the area again while on a different rescue mission and saw him again. He was sitting in the same spot in the same position. It looked like he hadn’t moved for weeks.”

Williams said she was convinced the dog was shedding tears when she approached him.

“I could see he was in a disturbed condition. He was famished and I’m certain he had tears in his eyes,” she said. “I gave him water and biscuits but he refused to move. Then, with my teammates, I walked around the area and asked locals if they knew the dog. They told me the dog was called Tommy and he was guarding his owner’s grave.”

The rescuer even managed to track down Bhaskar’s mother, Shrimati Sundari, who is also a construction worker.

“When Tommy saw her, he jumped on her and was licking her before he rested his face on her feet. It was obvious he knew her,” Williams said.

Sundari told Williams that her son and Tommy were always together, even at construction sites. But after the car accident, Tommy had disappeared. She thought he’d found another home.

“She was really happy he was back. She called him a loyal friend and she would keep him as a reminder of her son,” Williams said.

“It was quite sad seeing them walk off together. But I was glad they were reunited. I’m sure Tommy will help Shrimati with her grief, dogs; are amazing in times of emotion.”

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