A dog mourns for his owner

From: Jill M.

Sent: April 13, 2013

To: undisclosed recipients

Subject: Fw: A dog mourns for his owner

ROME - Since his owner died two months
ago, Tommy the dog has not missed a
single mass in the small church in southern
Italy where his mistress's funeral was held,
Italian media said Wednesday.
When the bells of the Santa Maria Assunta
church begin to toll each afternoon in San
Donaci near Brindisi, the 12-year-old
German Shepherd sets off from the village
to get himself a front row seat next to the
altar, Il Messaggero newspaper said.
His owner, who was known in local dialect
as "Maria tu lu campu" -- "Maria of the
fields" -- had lived alone with Tommy and
three other rescue dogs, who used to
follow her faithfully on her daily rounds
and have now been adopted by the village.
After following his mistresses coffin up to
the church on the day of her funeral,
Tommy has returned daily, sitting quietly
throughout masses, baptisms and
funerals, according to local priest Donato
Panna, who now wouldn't do without him.
True companionship has no termination
date.