A dog caused a law change in Brazil

The law, named after a dog, came into effect on February 10 and recognises the "emotional bond" between pets and their human families, the government said.

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Bob was known for accompanying funeral processions and comforting mourners on the spot, Photo: PATRE
Bob was known for accompanying funeral processions and comforting mourners on the spot, Photo: PATRE
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

A dog that has been buried in a Sao Paulo cemetery for 10 years has inspired a new law in Brazil that allows... burial pets with their owners.

The law is named after the dog Bob, with the addition Koveiro, which means "gravedigger" in Portuguese.

The faithful dog brought comfort to the bereaved until his death in 2021, when he was buried next to his owner.

The law, named after the dog, came into effect on February 10 and recognizes the "emotional bond" between pets and their human families, the government said.

"What started as a story of love and loyalty has turned into public policy," Eduardo Nobrega, one of the authors of the law, wrote on social media.

Bob attended his owner's funeral and has refused to leave the cemetery ever since.

Even when other family members tried to take him home, Bob would inevitably return to the cemetery, Brazilian media reported.

With nowhere to go, they built him a green doghouse in the cemetery to live in, and he was known for following funeral processions.

He was eventually buried in the cemetery, next to his owner, after being hit by a vehicle in 2021.

Bob "won the hearts of all who met him," said Patre, a local animal welfare charity that has been campaigning to raise funds for a statue in his honor.

"People who were burying family members, so tearful, would manage to smile when Bob, who was crazy about balls, tried to play with them," the statement said.

A new law has determined that cats and dogs can now be buried in family graves in southeastern Brazil, provided that sanitary standards are met, and local funeral homes set the rules for this.

Brazil is the third country in the world in terms of the number of pets, with 160 million animals, according to the Brazilian Pet Institute.

"Anyone who has lost a pet knows that they are not just an animal, they are family."

"This law also recognizes this connection and signifies respect at the moment of farewell," wrote the lawmaker Nobrega.

"Love doesn't end with forgiveness," he wrote on social media, he added.

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