This healthy Beagle dog has reportedly died of a broken heart days after her 80-year-old owner passed away.

The loyal female beagle named Birba died of ‘sadness’ shortly after her elderly owner named Giovanni Cerruti passed away at the end of September in the Italian city of Asti, according to his son Massimo.

Massimo shared the story on social media after Birba died last Tuesday, 19th October. He did not say exactly how old the beagle was but said she was still young and healthy and was otherwise in good health before she lost her master.

In the heartwarming post, Massimo called the dog “Giovanni’s inseparable shadow”, adding that she spent her life wagging her little tail at her beloved owner.

Massimo claimed that Birba died of a broken heart days after Giovanni passed away when she apparently realised she would never be with her owner again.

He said the dog’s death was bittersweet as Birba could have lived for many more years but was so loyal to her owner that she was not willing to go on without him.

Massimo said: “We should never underestimate the deep affection, the pure and total unconditional love, that our animal friends feel for us.”

He added: “Goodbye Birba, say hello to my dad.”