A Kazakh sculptor is creating a monument in honor of hero dog Pshon, who helped in the rescue efforts during the spring floods last year in Kazakhstan.

The sculptor, Azamat Kenzhegaliyev, began working on the sculpture days after finding out about Pshon’s death.

Pshon gained widespread fame in April last year after videos of him carrying transport sandbags during efforts to build a dam to protect the banks of the Ural River went viral.

Pshon’s owner has had him for more than three years. Kaz.Press reveals that Pshon has been helping his owner since the anti-flooding campaign began.

Pshon is from a city in Kazakhstan called Atyrau. His owner said, “Our dog is harmless to humans. He is a dog that never leaves our side. He does whatever we ask him to do.”

“He even helped my friend that day. When we carry the bags, he goes in circles. The load he carries is not heavy, even having bags that do not contain anything inside,” he adds.

However, on December 24, Kazinform reveals that Pshon was shot in November by local veterinary station staff tasked with eliminating stray animals.

The Astana Times reveals that Pshon was shot alongside stray dogs because it did not have registration documents and an ear tag, which made him officially be classified as a stray in the country.

The completion of the monument which is being made in honor of Pshon remains uncertain.

However, the Astana Times reveals that the monument’s design features a figure of Pshon made of interlinked metal hearts, symbolizing the dog’s sincere affection, unconditional love, and loyalty to humans.

Furthermore, Pshon’s owners shared a clip of the progress of Pshon’s monument on their Tiktok account. You can check it out here.