Saying “he gave the shirt off his back” has become a common idiom, meaning someone gave everything they have to someone else. But one man took the expression literally.
It’s always inspiring to see strangers doing what they can to help stray dogs who need a little help, whether by providing food, shelter or warmth.
Recently, a man named Felipe, from São Paulo, Brazil, was in the subway station with his brother when he spotted a dog in distress.
“He saw a dog shivering in the cold,” his brother Fernando Gabriel told The Dodo. “It was the coldest day of the year.”
While in line to buy the tickets, Felipe got up close to the dog and knew he had to help the shivering animal somehow.
So he gave him the shirt off his back, literally:
Felipe took off his shirt to give to the dog. He was wearing another layer to put back on over it, but the undershirt was all for the stray.
He wrapped the shirt around the dog, who was clearly grateful for the gift.
Fernando watched the whole scene unfold, and caught it on video. While you can hear him laugh when he sees his brother take off the shirt, he was touched by the sudden gesture of generosity.
“He did it spontaneously. It was very moving.”
Fernando posted the video on social media, where people praised Felipe as a hero.
The brothers say they later tried to return to the scene and take the dog home with them, but could not find the stray.
Still, Felipe’s gesture means the dog will at least be more warm and comfortable on the streets. In the video, you can see it wag its tail and look up at Felipe with gratitude.
Later, Felipe commented on the moment on his own Instagram account.
He said the shirt was actually a uniform, “the one I liked most,” he wrote, but knew he had to do something for the dog.
“It looks better on him,” he joked. “Help with that you have.”
What an inspiring thing to do! It goes to show the impact you can have on a dog’s life with a simple act of generosity.
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