“It was as if the horse knew what was happening and wanted to say goodbye,” said Wando. “[Sereno] began to walk around the coffin, smelling the coffin. Then he neighed,” commented funeral attendee Kyioshi Abreu. “It was a very strong emotion. Everyone who was there was moved. I cried myself when I saw that scene.” Next thing the horse stopped and placed his head against the coffin, making for a final farewell. “All the way to the cemetery, he would whimper and beat with his hooves on the ground, sounded like he was crying and as if he recognized that his owner was finally leaving him. It was very sad” says late man’s brother.

A close family friend in attendance, Francielio Limiera, says he wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it himself. It’s not just humans who feel pain, animals do too. This is just one of the examples that animals also mourn. Fortunately, Sereno won’t be facing that grieving process alone. The grieving horse will be staying with Wando’s family as he promised himself to provide Sereno with a loving home. The man added: “This horse was everything to him”. Watch the video, nobody expected this reaction!

According to Marcelo Servos, a veterinarian with the Brazilian Horse Riding Federation, who has been caring for horses for 20 years, a horse can be aware of and mourn a loved one’s death. “He had a passion and a great love for him,” says his brother. “Sometimes he would even stop buying things for himself to make sure he could afford to buy horse feed.”