Viral video: Flood-rescued pup couldn’t stop hugging reporter during live news segment
Paulo Mathias befriended the pup and is now its temporary guardian
As flood waters in southern Brazil battered the state of Rio Grande do Sul, engulfing entire towns, this week, a heartwarming moment went viral on the internet. At a makeshift animal shelter, a flood-rescued pup could not stop hugging a reporter during a live news segment, on May 14.
Brazilian reporter Paulo Mathias of SBT, a Brazilian television network, was visiting one of the many shelters as part of a TV segment, where he met the pup, who had lost his family.
While Mathias began reporting for the live broadcast of the TV segment, the pup latched onto Mathias’ leg and hugged him for comfort.
“In the midst of chaos a friendship emerged,” Mathias wrote in a now-viral post on his social media account.
Mathias decided to take the pup home temporarily and named him Leopoldo, after holding a poll with his followers on his Instagram stories.
Mathias has now become the temporary guardian to Leopoldo, as the dog’s family is currently listed as “missing”, according to reports.
Leopoldo is currently enjoying his time with Mathias in Sao Paulo, while the duo are waiting to hear of any information regarding Leopoldo’s family.
This sweet gesture by Mathias went viral on the internet, with people flooding every post with appreciative comments for the duo.
The devastating Brazilian floods left more than half a million people homeless, and pets separated from their families. People have come together from around the world to help victims of the flood.
In UAE, over 300 volunteers came together and packed around 2000 boxes of relief aid, which included food items, sanitary supplies and toiletries for women and children. The third relief plane was sent today to Brazil.