A dog named Mishka has lived on the roadside for 11 years. During this time, he has gotten to know all the local residents and grown accustomed to them.
People even built a doghouse for Mishka, where he hides from the rain and cold. By the road, Mishka waits for his owner’s return.
Eleven years ago, a man was hit by a car and died, but the dog still believes that sooner or later his friend will come back, so he refuses to leave his spot.
The dog has become part of the familiar local landscape, but what people can never get used to is the sad look the animal directs toward the road.
Several times, kind-hearted locals took the dog into their homes, but Mishka always found a way to escape and invariably returned to his place by the road, loyally waiting for his owner.
Drivers passing by also help the dog. People often stop to feed Mishka, try to talk to him, and pet him.
Mishka takes the food but tends to keep a little distance from people, avoiding getting too close, as if affection from strangers feels like a betrayal of his beloved owner.
Legends are told about a dog’s loyalty, and Mishka is living proof that devotion is not just an empty phrase for animals. Dogs suffer deeply from separation from the people they have come to love; sometimes they never get used to the loss and wait until their last breath for their owner to return.
Such loyalty from dogs places a responsibility on their owners — by showing love to your animal, you will receive incredible devotion in return, but if you ever betray them, you may never receive their forgiveness again.
