Dog Heartbroken After Guinea Pig Best Friend Passes Away, Climbs into Cage and Won't Leave

By Amanda Thomason August 16, 2018 at 11:04am

One of the greatest sadnesses about our furry companions is that they don’t live as long as we do. On average, dogs live 10 to 14 years, with breed and health making big differences.

Some smaller or especially wiry dogs make it to 16 or 18, but even 20 years would be far too short a time for most dog owners. And when they go, they take pieces of our hearts with them.

A bulldog named Mattis got a taste of this in his own life, when his furry companion passed away. Otis, a guinea pig, was one of Mattis’ best friends.

“Otis’ cage was right by Mattis’ kennel, so they were beside each other all night,” said Joseph Scaramucci, their owner, according to The Dodo. “When you took Otis out he would go to Mattis’ and hang out.”

Despite the fact that many dogs will see a small critter like a guinea pig as prey, Mattis saw him as a friend, and the two were close pals.

They lived happily together — humans, bulldog and guinea pig — for four years until Otis’ health failed him. Dogs may not live a long time, but guinea pigs top out at 4 to 6 years.

Mattis wasn’t ready to let go. He was with Otis the whole time, but even when Otis died, Mattis held on.

For days he refused to eat. After a few days had passed, the family moved Otis’ cage outside to clean it. Mattis saw his opportunity.

“When I went to pick up the cage and clean it up, he stayed right with me and then sat next to it and in it on the sidewalk,” said Brittany Scaramucci, according to KXXV.

“When I lifted the lid off, he made it pretty obvious that he knew something was wrong and just looked at me like ‘what is going on?’ It broke my heart.”

Mattis climbed into the bottom part of the cage and stayed there, probably still mourning his little friend and maybe not quite ready to say goodbye.

“Even yesterday morning Brittany was commenting on how he wouldn’t eat. Mattis just seems to tolerate everything, so I was surprised,” Joseph said.

Dog owners know dogs grieve. We’ve seen it first-hand.

Sometimes it takes months or years for them to completely recover; they wander over to all the spots their friend liked, or look for them as if they don’t understand their companion is really gone.

Hopefully Mattis will have some time to grieve and then make new friends and new memories.

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