With Solomon in his arms, Michael Ruiz recounts how the pet was found lying next to his sister’s body, amid the rubble, following Monday’s devastating earthquake in western Colombia, which claimed the lives of nearly 300 people.
He explains that his sister, Lenny, shielded the small pet with her own body; the animal survived when their home collapsed in Cali, one of the cities hardest hit by the 7.4-magnitude earthquake.
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This “love story” between the lawyer and her dog, Lenny and Salomón, as told by Mr. Ruiz, has gone viral on social media.
DIED PROTECTING HIS DOG: THE STORY OF LENNY AND SALOMÓN
A story that has moved thousands of people in Colombia and once again highlights the deep bond that can exist between a person and a pet.
AdvertisementLenny Ruiz Fernández was… pic.twitter.com/bTt4wZpAkU
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“My sister gave her life for him; she held him tightly to her chest, and the entire building collapsed on top of them,” she told Agence France-Presse in the municipality of Pasto.
“For me, it’s a love story; she obviously loved that little creature (…) and when you love something, you protect it,” she added.
The 12-year-old dog suffers from seizures and has gone blind.
Lenny Ruiz’s name must never be forgotten. She is the embodiment and symbol of love for animals
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He is among the 205 pets rescued after the earthquake, according to the latest figures from the search and rescue agency.
The people who took him in say that Solomon seems to be “mourning” the loss of Lenny. “I took him near her coffin so he could say goodbye to her” at the funeral, said Jessica Flores, his daughter-in-law.
Source: APE-MPE
