Faithful to the end: Heartbreaking video shows Gene Hackman's dog refusing to move away from wife Betsy's body

When it comes to adoration and loyalty, dogs are almost always unbeatable! Who can ever forget Hachiko , faithfully waiting for his owner, Parker Wilson, at a train station even after Parker's death! The story of ‘Hachi: A Dog’s Tale’ emphasizes Hachi's unwavering devotion and his persistence in waiting for Parker's return, even after his death.

Hachiko’s story was based on a real dog and a true event. Hachiko, a Japanese Akita dog, became famous for his unwavering loyalty to his owner, Professor Hidesaburo Ueno, who taught at the University of Tokyo. Even after Professor Ueno's death, Hachiko continued to wait for him at the Shibuya train station every day for nine years.


This time around, the late Gene Hackman and Betsy’s pet dog is bringing back those memories!


What happened?

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy’s dog was observed guarding her body in newly released police body camera footage of the day they were discovered.

The body camera video, which was published by TMZ on April 15, shows Santa Fe, N.M., police officers entering the married couple’s Santa Fe Summit home. The bodies of the actor, who was 95, his classical pianist wife, 65, and Zinnia, one of their three German Shepherds, were discovered on Wednesday, February 26.


The other two dogs, Nikita and Bear, were alive and roaming around the property.

As the blurred bodycam footage reveals, police entered the part of the house where Betsy and the crated Zinnia’s bodies lay near a bathroom. Observing one of the surviving pets sitting calmly, an officer said the beloved pet was “guarding her” and “seems pretty friendly.”

The police also reacted to hearing another dog “running around” and barking in the distance. Gene's body was soon found in the mudroom.



The tragic end:

According to authorities who confirmed on March 7 that Betsy died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome , caused by hantavirus, while Hackman — likely alone in the home with his wife’s body for days — died from a combination of severe heart disease, high blood pressure, and advanced Alzheimer's disease.


According to officials, Zinna was discovered dead in a crate about 10 to 15 feet from Arakawa's body when the couple was found on February 26. The necropsy report from the Santa Fe Animal Control stated there was "severe postmortem decomposition with partial mummification." It noted that there was no evidence of infection, trauma, or poisoning that could have led to the dog's death. The report indicated that the dog's stomach was "mostly empty except for very small amounts of hair and bile," suggesting that Zinna was in a confined space without access to food or water, which likely resulted in her dehydration and starvation.

Bear, the German Shepherd rescue, and Nikita were transported to a local pet daycare facility and cared for by a family friend before being rehomed, as PEOPLE reported.