Dog carrying bag of food after Hurricane Harvey becomes viral hero

A dog that accidentally got loose Friday night during Hurricane Harvey has become an unlikely symbol of Texas strength.

Otis, a German shepherd mix, got loose Friday night from a screened-in back porch in Sinton, Texas, while in the care of Salvador Segovia, 65. Segovia was watching the dog, who belongs to his 5-year-old grandson Carter who had fled the city due to flooding.

When Segovia went to check in on the dog Friday night, he was gone.

I kept yelling his name and yelling his name and he wasn't around," Segovia told Chron.com Saturday afternoon.

Source: Chron.com

Segovia checked his porch Saturday morning and noticed Otis' bag of dog food was missing. Segovia drove around his neighborhood looking for the pooch when he was flagged down by a neighbor who said they saw Otis walking around with the bag of food in his mouth.

Fellow neighbor Tiele Dockens also saw Otis and snapped a photo of him with his food that went viral. The image had been shared nearly 16,000 times by 4:50 pm on Saturday.

Segovia was able to track down Otis and bring him home before his grandson returned.

Otis is an all around special dog, Segovia said. He's been instrumental in helping comfort Carter following numerous hospital visits for seizures and asthma. Otis is also a local celebrity.

"Otis can go to Dairy Queen and he can get a hamburger. He's the only dog allowed to lie down in front of the county court house," Segovia said. "He also goes to H.E.B. He's not a stray. He's a good dog."