Heartbroken Dog Runs Away From Its New Home To Lay At Owner's Grave
A dog in Turkey turned a family grave into the center of a heartbreaking story. Zozo, a puppy rescued and raised by İsmail Öztürk, grew up with so much love that his bond with his owner never seemed to fade.
After Öztürk died in February 2014, Zozo stayed with the family, but something strange kept happening. The dog was quietly disappearing, and no one realized where he was going until they made a painful discovery at the cemetery.
What they found there made Zozo’s loyalty impossible to ignore. Read on.
Before we dive into the details...

Zafer Öztürk found a surprise one day when he went to visit his father's grave
As he approached the grave, he noticed a figure lying on top of it.

Soon it was clear that the figure on Öztürk's grave was Zozo
Apparently, after Öztürk’s funeral, Zozo would frequently go missing for a short amount of time.

Zozo wanted to be with his late owner

This also echoes Jerjes, the police dog, standing on his hind legs to say goodbye to his handler at the coffin.
Up until Zafer Öztürk's discovery, they didn't know where Zozo kept going off to
"We lost my father a year ago. When I came to the grave a few times, I saw Zozo lying on the grave. He comes with me from time to time, lies on the grave, lays down, and shows his loyalty,” Zafer Öztürk said.

"He lays down and shows his loyalty" 😢

Furkan Öztürk, the grandson of İsmail Öztürk, also shared about Zozo's loyalty
“Zozo came to us shortly before my grandfather's death. He came with us every time we visited the grave; sometimes he slept on the grave. Sometimes, when I stayed in the village, I saw him here on the grave. We've had many dogs before, but this is the first time I have seen such a dog. Zozo is very different,” he said.

Even though Zozo can't speak in a traditional sense, his actions clearly show his love and devotion

I hope Zozo knows he's the best

The actual Goodest Boy

You can watch the interview about Zozo and his family below
The impact of İsmail Öztürk’s love is nothing less than incredible. It shows that our pets are absolutely our family and love us as much as we love them.
Here’s hoping that Zozo’s mourning and pain of missing his owner have faded over time, as many things do, and that he is able to live the rest of his life to the fullest, with the love and care of his late owner's family.
If you enjoyed Zozo’s story of love and loyalty for his late owner, share his story with your friends and family.
For more grief, read how Zozo’s late-owner visits inspired his daily grave routine in this story.