Story By: Jonathan Macias, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

This photo shows a dead dog in its canine coffin after its owner organised a ceremony for his beloved pet.

The incident took place in the city of Ilheus in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Bahia and the photo was shared on Facebook by the dog owner’s friend ‘Serumaninho Mil Grau’ where it has been widely circulated.

The dog is seen wrapped in a white sheet with flowers scattered around its coffin as mourners stand around the open casket after its owner, who has not been named, decided to have a service for it. It is unclear how much the service cost.

According to local media, the coffin was made especially for the pet by the Family Assistance Service (SAF) in the neighbourhood of Conquista.

SAF issued a public statement to clarify that they “only sell coffins for pets” and it is up to the family to take care of the other steps.

They added: “Our facilities honour all health and safety requirements and are used only for human funerals. Customer satisfaction will always be our main goal.”

It is unknown how the dog died or where the family decided to bury the canine’s coffin. It is also unclear how old the dog was.

One Facebook user said: “It is a sign of the love and respect the owner had for his dog.”

Another netizen commented: “With all due respect, I love dogs as much as the next fellow, but people respect animals more than children sometimes.”

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