'He was watching over him like a guard dog': Loyal Bull Terrier Herman found protecting dying companion hit by a car

A passerby snapped the Staffordshire Bull Terrier standing over an injured female dog on the side of an Atlanta road

The photo went viral after The Walking Dead actress Kylie Szymanksi shared it on her Facebook fan page on July 18



Herman is up for adoption

A heartbreaking photo of a dog standing guard over his dying companion has gone viral.

Passerby Michael Mason photographed Herman the Staffordshire Bull Terrier protectively watching over a female dog who'd been hit by a car on Sylvan Road in Atlanta.



'The look on his face. ‘Can someone help me?’ He was watching over him (sic) like a guard dog,' Mason told WSBTV.



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Loyal: A passerby snapped Staffordshire Bull Terrier Herman standing over his dying companion who was hit by a car on an Atlanta road. The image has gone viral

Mason shared the image online calling on his friends for help.



The touching snap went viral after The Walking Dead actress Kylie Szymanski shared it on her Facebook fan page on July 18.

'Is there ANYONE in the Atlanta area who can use a new best friend?,' the 11-year-old star wrote.



'This poor guy lost his best friend today and stood over her until they took him away. He is alone and scared and sad in a local shelter. Please let me know if you can help or know someone who can.'

While the female pooch died from her injuries, Herman is being cared for at Fulton County Animal Services.



He needs a new home, with animal officers describing him as friendly and loving.



'They do feel that companionship and when somebody is gone they miss them,' animal officer Kerry Moyers-Horton told WSBTV.



Homeless: Herman the loyal Bull Terrier is at Fulton County Animal Services and he needs a new home

Looking for a home: Animal services officials said Herman the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is friendly around people and ready to be adopted

LifeLine Animal Project's Cicley Gay added: 'We are grateful someone stopped and cared enough to take a picture and share it to demonstrate the power of a dog's love. And this sweet animal didn’t leave his friend when she was injured.'

LifeLine is a shelter that works with Fulton County Animal Services.

Meanwhile Mason, from Georgia, said he would love to adopt Herman if his wife let him.



For information about Herman, visit the Fulton County Animal Services website.

