Stray dogs 'pay tribute' to animal lover at her funeral

Dogs are known for their loyalty, and a group of strays proved just how strong the bond between human and pooch can be.

Margarita Suarez, who lived in Cuernavaca Morelos, Mexico, spent her life caring for animals that visited her home. She died at 71, and her daughter Patricia says her funeral took place in a town more than 800 miles away from where her mother lived.

She says stray dogs spontaneously showed up at the funeral home to pay their respects. Workers at the home said they had never seen the dogs before, and that strays were uncommon in that area.

Patricia told ABC News, "They stayed with my mother all day, and then at night they all stayed -- but In the morning all the dogs vanished but one, but one hour before we brought my mom to be cremated the dogs came back and grouped around as if to say goodbye. I swear by God that it was beautiful, marvelous."

Since posting the photos to her Facebook on March 15, the images have been shared more than 50,000 times and received more than 190,000 likes.

Others who heard about the story expressed amazement on Twitter, calling it a "touching tribute" and "heartwarming."

Patricia says the dogs made her feel better during a difficult time. "Because of them we were happy. They made a sad situation an incredible one," she said.

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