Meet Friar Bigotón (Friar Moustache), aka Brother Carmelo, once a stray dog, now the first canine member of a Franciscan monastery in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He even has a little doggy-sized habit to wear alongside his fellow monks.
Considering that Saint Francis is the patron saint of animals, it seems only right that a Franciscan monastery would choose to adopt an animal in need.
“His life is all about playing and running,” fellow friar Jorge Fernandez told The Dodo. “Here, all of the brothers love him very much. He is a creature of God.”
“If only all the churches of our country [would] adopt a dog and care for him like Friar Bigotón,” Proyecto Narices Frías (Cold Nose Project), a local animal rescue, wrote in a post on Facebook, “we are sure that the parishioners would follow his example.”
Meanwhile it appears that Brother Carmelo is paying it forward by looking after the monastery’s fish:
Friends,
It is with condolences that I must tell you Gabe passed away yesterday morning. He had been struggling with his heart for quite some time, and it very suddenly became worse. He went peacefully, being loved with his family with a smile on his face.
All things considered, Gabe had a good run. He was already pushing his senior years when we picked him up from the shelter, but still blessed us with six years of loving, dancing and borking. His borks never slowed down until his very last day!
Not only was Gabe a wonderful part of our family - his entertainment career was greater than I ever could have dreamed of. Something that started as a joke for my friends quickly became a global sensation, going as far as national TV in Japan! It really meant a lot to our family to see the joy he spread to everyone. We feel we made a positive effect on the world by sharing Gabe’s smile with everyone.
And with that, I thank you. You, the content creators, the fans leaving comments, sharing his pictures and spreading the message, made Gabe into something very special that won’t be forgotten. Gabe may have crossed the rainbow bridge but his joy remains with all of us.
Sleep tight, pupper!
Amanda Jones has dedicated the past 20 years to an incredible photography project which aims to show just how fleeting the lives of our beloved pets are.
