Six loyal dogs spent over 24 hours waiting for their homeless owner outside a hospital in Brazil when he was rushed in suffering from a stroke.

A video captures the remarkable moment the faithful hounds arrive panting at Accident and Emergency after chasing the ambulance for several miles, right to the hospital’s doors.

The devoted pets refused to leave the entrance of the Santa Casa Hospital in Cianorte, south Brazil, last Wednesday when the street dweller, known only as Luiz, was suddenly taken ill.

They kept vigilant outside the front of the institution and howled for hours, according to observers.

Loyal dogs wait outside hospital in Brazil for owner after stroke

Passers-by pictured the dogs sleeping outside the doors of the Santa Casa Hospital in Cianorte, south Brazil last week

Luiz, who has been sleeping rough for over 20 years, was discharged the following day but left through another entrance with his brother.

The dogs, who he considers to be his family, stayed put waiting for him to emerge.

They only left when their master returned to collect them.

Simone Zilane, a volunteer with animal welfare group, the Amigos de Patas, filmed the caring canines guarding the hospital door and gasped in delight as they all turned up.

She said to Brazilian media G1: ‘The dogs were desperate. They followed the ambulance, racing after it down the roads and arrived just as Luiz was being taken into the hospital. They went mad as they took him in and howled non-stop at the entrance.

‘After a while they lay down on the ground and refused to leave. When we realised Luiz had been discharged and his pets were none the wiser, one of our volunteers went to fetch him from his brother’s house and take him to where the dogs were still waiting for him.

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Their homeless owner Luiz (pictured) suffered a sudden stroke last week and had to be rushed to the hospital for care

The dogs leaving hospital with their owner Luiz after he was finally discharged from the care unit

‘He hadn’t realise they were outside all this time, but he wasn’t too surprised,’ she added.

The dogs were ecstatic when their owner turned up and yapped and leapt around him in a show of happiness.

According to the non-governmental organisation, Luiz has been diagnosed with psychiatric problems but for years he has declined to accept help from homeless charities and his family. Apparently he prefers to live on the streets with his strays.

Ms Zilane said: ‘We rented a very simple house for him a while ago with a big yard for the dogs but he didn’t accept it and refused to enter the house. He said his home is the street.

‘At that time, the dogs were also taken to a kennel, which a volunteer from the NGO created, but they escaped by jumping over the wall and going after Luiz. Where ever he is you can guarantee the dogs are never very far away.’

After his health scare, the drifter agreed to take a shower and accept a plate of food while his dogs were watered and fed.

According to the NGO, all the animals have been neutered, vaccinated, dewormed and chipped.

By the weekend, Luiz was already back on the streets with his pack of faithful followers.