As the American state of Texas faced the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, one dog became a viral sensation after he was snapped carrying his very own food supplies down the street.
Hurricane Harvey: category 4 storm
In the town of Stinton, situated not far from Houston, Texas, a violent category 4 storm named Hurricane Harvey was causing widespread damage and flooding to the area. A number of deaths had also been reported.
As Otis the dog became more and more afraid, he decided an escape was his best plan. But not before the self-sufficient pooch grabbed his bag of dog food on the way out, deciding he might very well need it to ride out the storm.
Otis prepares to bunker down
Salvador Segovia had been looking after the five-year-old dog after his grandson was forced to evacuate his house due to flooding. It was decided that Otis was safest staying with Salvador.
As the storm approached, Salvador suddenly realised Otis was nowhere to be seen. After searching the property high and low, Salvador quickly realised that not only had the dog disappeared, but his bag of food had too.
"I kept yelling his name and yelling his name and he wasn't around,” Salvador told the Houston Chronicle.
Desperately, he decided to search the neighbourhood in his car in the hope of spotting him. He was soon told by a neighbour that the dog had been spotted with a bag of dog food in his mouth.
Another neighbour, Tiele Dockens, confirmed the sighting and had even taken a photo of Otis' heroic move.
Thankfully, Otis was quickly located and reunited with Salvador, safe and sound. Shortly afterwards, the authorities asked everyone to stay in the safety of their homes due to the strength of the storm.
Otis' rise to worldwide fame
Otis was already well-known in the neighbourhood but quickly became a worldwide sensation after Tiele's photo went viral.
Salvador said Otis loves to wander the neighbourhood and is a favourite with the locals. He even said the loveable dog can walk into one of the nearby fast food chains and be given a hamburger!
Needless to say, we think Otis is a nifty, forward planner with a heart of gold!
Our thoughts are with all those people and animals who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey.
Source: Washington Post
Photo Credit: Tiele Dockens (via Facebook)