A devoted dog’s unwavering vigil by his owner’s grave has concluded after 11 years. Capitan, the faithful canine, captured the hearts of people worldwide when his poignant tale emerged several years ago.
Capitan began residing at the cemetery after his owner, Miguel Guzman, passed away in 2006. Every night, he would sleep by Miguel’s graveside. Touchingly, Capitan peacefully breathed his last at the age of 15, right beside his beloved human’s grave, succumbing to kidney failure.
The remarkable story of Capitan’s loyalty began on March 24, 2006, the day Miguel passed away. Upon realizing that Miguel was no longer at home, Capitan set out in search of him and miraculously located Miguel’s grave in the nearby Municipal Cemetery of Villa Carlos Paz in Cordoba, Argentina.
From that moment on, the devoted dog remained faithfully by his deceased owner’s side. Every day at 6 pm, Capitan would lie down by Miguel’s headstone, a testament to his enduring love and loyalty.
In 2005, Miguel had brought home Capitán, a German Shepherd mix, as a surprise for his son Damián. After Miguel’s passing, Capitán disappeared, leaving his family devastated. Veronica, Miguel’s wife, revealed to La Voz that she and her son searched tirelessly for him but could not locate him. Fearing the worst, they assumed Capitán might have passed away or been taken in by another family.
Soon after, when Damián visited his father’s grave at the cemetery, there was Capitán! It remained a mystery how Capitán had found out where Miguel was laid to rest, but he did. The family experienced a heartwarming reunion, but when they attempted to bring Capitán home, he steadfastly refused.
Despite numerous attempts by Veronica and Damián, Capitán wouldn’t leave the cemetery. Occasionally, he would follow them home briefly, only to return to the cemetery without fail.
Hector Baccega, the cemetery director, noted that Capitán had won the affection of the precinct workers and caretakers, who ensured he was fed and received regular vaccinations. There was a time when Capitán had suffered a broken front leg, prompting a vet to be called in to provide him with the necessary care.
Capitán would occasionally visit his former home to see Veronica and Damián. However, Veronica came to accept that Capitán preferred to stay close to his deceased best friend and didn’t want to stay at their home permanently.
Damián also acknowledged that Capitán was taking care of his father in his own way. Although Damián had wished to bring Capitán home permanently over the years, he understood that the loyal dog’s place was by his dad’s side. Capitán’s unwavering dedication to Miguel remained his guiding force.
Hector Baccega noted that Capitán joined him during daily cemetery walks, yet as evening approached, he unfailingly gravitated to Miguel’s tomb, where he lay beside the headstone. Hector saw in Capitán a poignant lesson for humanity: the significance of treasuring memories of departed loved ones.
Four years ago, Capitán was diagnosed with kidney failure during a vet check-up. Both the veterinarian and the family decided it was best to let Capitán continue his life as he had for so many years.
“We could have admitted him to the vet, but only so that he could die in the veterinary surgery, so we preferred to leave him and attend to him in the cemetery, where he lived and felt calm,” vet Cristhian Sempels told reporters.
Rest in Peace, dear Capitan.